


An opportunity curse

by Aleko



Category: Beauty and the Beast (2017), Beauty and the Beast - All Media Types
Genre: Alcohol, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Bisexual Gaston (Disney), Blind Gaston, Curses, Description of wounds, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Gaston Lives, Illiterate lefou, M/M, Mentions of War, Misogyny, Period-Typical Homophobia, Redemption, Unhealthy Relationships, Violence, mentioned rape, mute Gaston, unhealthy to healthy relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-13
Updated: 2017-09-03
Packaged: 2018-10-18 12:15:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 26,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10616724
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aleko/pseuds/Aleko
Summary: Words won’t form in your tongue, images won’t be perceived.Until you learn to love someone else besides you, you’ll be mute and blind.This is a chance to redeem yourself for your crimes, Gaston. Don’t waste my gift to you.or, I'm fucking creative and made another AU where the enchantress revives Gaston with a curse and LeFou helps him.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for giving a chance to this fic. I hope none of the characters are OOC or something. Also, I try to make this unhealthy relationship into a one healthier because I feel bad for LeFou and I don't like how quickly he seems to forget about him in the movie.  
> Any criticism is welcomed, and if I make language mistakes, please tell me so I can fix them.  
> Well, enjoy this thing :D

_Words won’t form in your tongue, images won’t be perceived._  
_Until you learn to love someone else besides you, you’ll be mute and blind._  
_This is a chance to redeem yourself for your crimes, Gaston. Don’t waste my gift to you._

 

  
When he felt the floor loosen and fall, his heart stopped beating out of horror. He was going to die. He, Gaston. He thought he didn’t deserve it, that the world didn’t deserve loosing such a handsome and courageous man. The man everyone worshipped.  
  
When he was falling with the debris and felt the space under him, he was furious. He was a hero that went to kill a monster, a beast. This wasn’t supposed to end like this. He would have ended the abomination’s life and return to the village shouted out by this neighbors. He would have had Belle in love with him and finally they would have got married. He would have exposed the beast head above the chimney. He didn’t understand why Belle preferred a monster instead of him, the manlier of the men, and the hero of war.  
  
Seconds before crashing with the icy snow and the sharp rocks, he remembered LeFou and the look he gave him when he deserted him. Well, maybe that was a wrong thing to do, Gaston thought, but it was for the greater good. A greater good he realized he couldn’t accomplish when he hit the ground full force and his vision went black.

 

  
Everything was chaotic up the castle. The furniture was turning human, meeting again forgotten relatives, friends or lovers. It was so moving and happy LeFou didn’t know how to feel. That night had been so hard that he felt a lump on his throat. There were too many things to absorb. Who could have thought Prince Adam had been cursed and erased from the memory of all villagers, including himself, and turned in to a monster? He saw the faces of friends and acquaintances but he searched for one in particular. He was hurt and the words mademoiselle Potts said were true, but he cared about him. A life and a war of friendship weren’t broken that easy and he wanted, he needed to have Gaston explaining himself.  
  
Sudden cheers distracted him as Belle and Adam walked down the stairs holding hands. They had such a grace and a beautiful aura surrounded them; LeFou couldn’t help but stare at the floor, both in awe and embarrassed by his past actions.  
  
“Prince Adam!” Everyone in the castle went to them “Belle! You are alright!”  
  
LeFou, instead, went back and watched in the distance when a cold hand touched his shoulder. He gave a yelp while turning, his heart in his throat. There was Agatha, the enchantress, and LeFou feared she would do something to him for being friends with Gaston.  
  
“LeFou, you deserve to be with them as much as anyone else.” Agatha was kind and warm on her words. Despite that, he couldn’t relax. There were so many mistakes in his actions...  
  
“I feel comfortable right here, thanks.” Without more words, Agatha smiled at him and turned her back to him, heading to some alleyway on the castle. LeFou stared at her until she wasn’t visible. What a strange woman, even if she was an enchantress.  
  
Returning his gaze at the crowd, he decided Gaston wasn’t probably there and the wisest thing was to ask Belle about him when there were less people around. So he patiently waited on a corner until the people started going back home. Some of his friends stopped to talk to him briefly, like Stanley, who reassured him on everything being okay. He didn’t believed him completely. He had a bad feeling about all of this.  
  
It was getting dark when he finally approached the couple, nervous and fidgeting. He hadn’t seen Gaston anywhere, neither getting out the castle. So, when he was near Belle, he cleared his throat with a few coughs and then she turned to look at him, a beautiful smile on her lips.  
  
“Oh, LeFou! I didn’t know you were here!” He rubbed the back of his neck, unsure how to bring Gaston on the conversation. Prince Adam also focused on him when he heard Belle talk.  
  
“I didn’t want to bother you.”  
  
“None of you are a bother, LeFou.” Prince Adam said politely with another big smile. “Would you like a room here? It’s getting very dark and the wolves may still be there.” At the mention on the wolves, LeFou remembered Maurice and felt even worse.  
  
“Thank you, but… I’ll have to decline your generous offer, Prince.” LeFou eyes searched behind the others. “I… wanted to apologize for Gaston for all of the troubles we have caused to you both, especially to Belle…” At the mention of Gaston’s name, the smiling lips on Adam and Belle turned into worried frowns.  
  
“You don’t need to do that for Gaston, we know you tried to stop him and you meant no harm to any of us.” Belle quietly answered.  
  
“I insist.” LeFou replied quickly. “I also wondered if… you knew where Gaston is…” The looks they gave him iced his spirit. What had happened?  
  
“He... died.” Prince Adam explained with a soft tone. “He fell of a tower when he attacked me... He can’t be alive after that fall.”  
  
“O-oh… I see…” LeFou thought the floor above him had opened and was trying to bury him alive. He tried to stay strong despite the emptiness in his heart that was growing and twisting. “Where do you think he… fell?” He breathed in deeply, trying to soothe his nerves and opened and closed his hands, trying to stop feeling numb. “Someone needs to pick his… corpse and…” He stopped talking as he felt his voice couldn’t sound anymore. Gaston? Dead? He couldn’t believe it; he needed to see it with his own eyes.  
  
“LeFou… He fell on the west wing.” Belle held his hands thigh for a second before letting go. He felt dizzy enough to don't know when she had taken them. “I’m sorry, Lefou. Do you want someone to be with you?”  
  
“No, thank you… I’d rather be alone.” He looked for any sign that indicated where the west wing was with open, scared eyes. “Thank you and have a good night.” He quickly made a clumsy reverence before practically running on the direction he assumed was west. He heard Belle mumbling something to Prince Adam, but he decided not to care about it. He had to find Gaston right now.  
  
When LeFou got out the warm walls of the castle to the chilly air and the fresh grass that wasn’t covered by snow anymore, he started searching frantically for a glimpse of Gaston. He felt the tears on his eyes fighting to get out. How could Gaston die? How could he live if Gaston wasn’t by his side? That would be too difficult to him; he thought he was too weak for that. Gaston fought on a war, how could something like this kill him? He wanted to blame Belle and the absurd obsession she created on Gaston, but he knew better. It was entirely Gaston’s fault and, in a cruel way, he deserved the punishment he received. But LeFou didn’t want to accept it.  
  
Turning a curve of a tower, LeFou finally saw him lying face down on the ground. He was on a puddle of his own blood and his right leg was twisted on a sick angle. LeFou felt how his stomach crunched and nausea flooded him. His first instinct was to throw up, but he couldn’t. Slowly, he approached the other man. Was he really dead…? The tears soaked his face now. The shadows of the night towered above them although soft light from the candles illuminated the scene. LeFou kneeled down besides Gaston, afraid of touching him. He couldn’t believe it. Building up courage, he softly touched one shoulder. It was terribly cold.  
  
“No…” He tried to move his shoulders in an attempt to wake him up. “Please, no…”  
  
Finally, he shifted Gaston to have him facing up. Blood was dripping out of his mouth and his eyes were firmly closed. Pulling him into his lap, not caring about dirtying his clothes with the blood and the grass, he touched his cheek, also deadly cool. He couldn’t help anymore and cried out loud. There was no point on hiding anymore. Gaston was dead, there was no turning back. The man who he’s been friends since forever, the man he fought in war with, the man he loved, and, the most important to him, the only one who had been kind to him since day one was dead. He crouched over Gaston in pain and despair, hugging him.  
  
“This can’t be…”  
  
He touched again Gaston’s cheeks, taking a last look at his handsome face. He brushed his fingers softly on his pale and cold skin. Eyes, eyebrows, he traced his features trying to memorize them. He slightly touched his lips with his thumb and stopped abruptly. Was it…? He put his palm above his mouth.  
  
“You… You are breathing, Gaston! You’re alive!” It was faint, but it was still there a soft breath. “L-Let’s take you to a bed! Oh, god…” The tears this time were from happiness. A strange warmth replaced the emptiness.  
  
With difficulty, he got up and picked Gaston on his back. He was using all his force and he was unstable because of the height difference, but his determination was strong as he carefully took all the steps that lead to the insides of the castle. Maybe he can accept now the offer Prince Adam made. He opened the door and the servants who were nearby to that door came in a rush, yelling for others to come. They basically tore Gaston from LeFou’s arms, but he didn’t mind if that meant he would heal as soon as possible. Fast, they were on a room and Prince Adam and Belle came running.  
  
“LeFou! What happened?” Belle asked with worry laced in every word.  
  
“I found Gaston! He is alive so I brought him here! Belle, he’s so weak I thought he was dead.” LeFou could feel the anxiety eating him alive while looking at the servants cleaned Gaston’s wounds. Belle and Adam exchanged impressed and worried looks.  
  
“I’m going to sent someone to look for a doctor.” Prince Adam said before going outside to give the order.  
  
“LeFou, Gaston is going to be alright.” Belle could feel how tense LeFou was but she didn't know exactly how to react.  
  
“Thank you, Belle. I know you don’t like Gaston, but…”  
  
“I know, LeFou.” She gave him a reassuring smile to which LeFou only could respond with another nervous smile.  
  
“Can I stay here with him? Until he gets better, of course.” He glanced at the forgotten armchair at the corner. He could use it to take care of Gaston.  
  
“Of course, all the time you need. You are our guests.” LeFou nodded but focused his attention to Gaston.  
  
An hour or two passed before a doctor made his entrance to the room and ordered the servants to leave, only allowing staying a nurse, LeFou, Prince Adam and Belle. He started doing normal checks like testing the heart beat and taking his temperature. Then, he took a look at the damaged leg and put a sling on it. He could see Gaston’s face distort in pain as the doctor and the nurse proceeded and his heart sank on his chest. When the doctor finished bandaging the few cuts on his arms and gave them a strange bottle for pain, he felt relieved. Gaston would live and the doctor said everything was fairly alright. Food, water, warmth, time to heal and the painkiller were the only things needed according to him. Then, the doctor and the nurse left and, after them, Prince Adam and Belle wished his a goodnight and went to their room.  
  
LeFou felt so tired after that rush of emotions that he could only grab the armchair and put it near Gaston’s bed. He sat down and thought. He thought about everything in the past month. How Gaston wanted Maurice to die in the cold, how he manipulated him later that night. How he abandoned him when he was on need. He fell asleep watching the relaxed face of his friend, but his mind wasn't as calm as it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't help but write this chapter right after posting the first, so here it is!  
> I hope it's not too slow, I promise that in the next more things would happen. And I had so many problems with writing a blind Gaston but it was a bit funny too. Idk  
> Enjoy this chapter and thanks for reading!

When Gaston first woke up, he was too tired and dizzy to even open his eyes. He only brought a hand to his face to get rid of the soreness and tried to say something but it seemed his voice wasn’t functioning. He quickly fell asleep again induced by the medication. This attempt was at early hours in the morning, so LeFou was sleeping but when he woke up he made sure that the entire castle knew Gaston had moved.  
  
The second time, he woke up due to being thirsty. His throat ached and burned and he felt a subtle pain on his leg. He tried to open his eyes, but his lids felt so heavy he gave up after a few attempts. Gaston then started to move lazily when he heard a familiar voice.  
  
“No, Gaston, you have to rest.” The voice sounded like LeFou, so he relaxed a bit and tried to talk, but only raspy noises got out of his mouth. He gestured with his hands a drinking motion, wanting the burn to finally go away. “Alright, here. Drink this.” He felt something cold touch his lips and he obeyed. That wasn’t water, it had a syrup like taste, too sweet for him, but it soothed his throat. He felt hands accommodating him on the bed again and after hearing a sigh, he was falling asleep another time.  
  
The third time, and the final one, he felt a lot better than the first time. The subtle pain on his leg was still there but he felt less sick and numb and more energetic. However, when he opened his eyes he got confused. Why was everything black? What time of the night was it? And when he opened his mouth to ask about that, he couldn’t hear his own voice. He started to panic and tried to get up from the bed, moving quickly his arms and legs. What was happening?  
  
“Gaston! Calm down!” Was LeFou there? He opened his mouth again to call his name, but he couldn’t say anything. When he finally managed to get out the sheets and put his legs on the floor he felt like crying out of pain. What had happened to his right leg? What had happened to him? Why he couldn’t see anything? He, the great Gaston, was reduced to a scared and injured man. That couldn’t be possible.  
  
“Gaston. I’m here. Look at me.” He tried to look at where he guessed was the source of the voice and hands grabbed his arms gently but firmly. “Talk to me, Gaston. How are you feeling?” He started to shake his head quickly and tried to make any sound, failing. “What’s happening, Gaston?” He felt himself panicking because of the frustration and the impotence he felt at that moment. This couldn’t be happening to him.  
  
He didn’t know what was going on. The last thing he remembered was fighting the beast… No, that thing wasn’t a beast. It was Prince Adam! Memories started to flood to his brain. The turmoil against Adam he caused, the beast ordering him to leave… But he came back and shot him, and then he fell to the ground. He remembered the pain and the cold, but he also remembered a soft light engulfing him. He remembered gentle but strong words being spoken by a female voice. Those words were ones of a curse.  
  
He remembered the curse. A curse about being blind and mute until he could love someone besides himself. That curse was stupid. He already loved Belle. He was planning on marrying her. She was the best woman in the village, so it was naturally for them both to love each other. That enchantress had no idea.  
  
“Gaston, please.” LeFou’s voice brought him to reality after a brief moment on his thoughts. Then, Gaston lifted his hands to his neck, trying to indicate he had no voice, and after that, to his eyes. He was so angry but a little nervous too. But mostly of all, he felt so offended. How did that woman dare to do that to him? He didn’t deserve that.  
  
“Gaston? Are… are you trying to tell me you can’t see?” LeFou whispered worried and Gaston nodded irritated. He pointed at his throat again. “And… that you can’t talk either?” Gaston nodded again. He tried to get up again, ignoring the pain on his leg. He was going to find that woman and beat her up until she broke that stupid curse. “No, Gaston. You need to stay in bed until your leg heal completely or you might never be able to walk freely again. The doctor said that.”  
  
Gaston looked again in the direction of the voice with his angrier frown despite the pain, but then he heard a door open.  
  
“Gaston! You are awake!” The soft and sweet voice of Belle flooded the room and he felt a grin form on his face.  
  
“Belle, he can’t talk nor see anything.” Those words from LeFou soured his mood again.  
  
“But the doctor said he was fine.” Gaston wanted to talk and explain all of this to Belle, ask her if she was happy to have him there and flirt a bit but he was forced to listen without any replay.  
  
“I know. I don’t understand it either.” He closed his fists tightly. Only if that witch didn’t do anything to him he could be loving Belle again. He loved someone besides him and it was Belle.  
  
“Wait a second…” There was another voice in the room, a masculine one he didn’t recognize. Then, a hand grabbed his left wrist and put it facing up. “That’s a rose like the one the enchantress gave me.” So the one talking was Prince Adam, the beast he tried to kill. Well, no one could really blame him about it. He was really a monster.  
  
“You mean that…” Belle talked again.  
  
“I fear so. Gaston is cursed.” At that, he nodded although he hated giving the reason to him.  
  
“How can we… break it?” LeFou started quickly, but his voice lost the energy at the end. It was unnerving hearing them talk about him while he couldn't see them.  
  
“I don’t know. She said something to you, right, Gaston?” He nodded again, getting impatient. He needed some way to communicate. They were too slow and dumb to help him right then, as it seemed. “Maybe you can write it and anything you need on a paper.”  
  
Writing? It could work, so he nodded and waited, hating every moment until he felt how paper and a charcoal were handed to him. Clumsily but determinated, he started to write the words of that damned woman. When he finished, Belle started to read aloud.  
  
“The witch said I will be mute and blind until I love someone else besides me, but that’s nonsense. Belle is going to take care of me and love me. We should celebrate our marriage as soon as the stupid curse disappears.” A desperate gasp followed the lecture. “Again, Gaston. I will never marry you. I love Prince Adam only.” A low chuckle was heard and Gaston tightened his jaw, irritated. How he wish he could shout to him. “And I’m pretty sure you don’t love me, you only want to have me like an object. Maybe you could try loving someone who already loves you. And I think LeFou is going to be a great caretaker for you. Right?” LeFou hummed affirmatively.  
  
That was ridiculous. He had got enough of this conversation, so he laid down on the bed and made himself comfortable as a hint of it. He heard another sigh from Belle when he closed his useless eyes.  
  
“We should let him rest, Belle. I’m positive he would find someone else to really love.” Prince Adam said as he left the paper and charcoal on his hands. Gaston was tempted to throw it at the floor, but it was his only way to talk. However, he’d never thank that stupid man.  
  
“Thank you, Prince Adam, Belle.” Said LeFou and Gaston couldn’t help but groan internally and he tried to kick him with the paper but only hit air, which made him even more furious and a seed of desperation was buried in his heart. This wasn’t fair.  
  
“You’re welcome, LeFou.” After that words from Belle, the door cracked as it was shut.  
  
A few minutes passed in utterly silence until he wrote something new on the paper: ‘I want to return to my home’ and offered it to the air, in hopes LeFou would take it. He felt how the other man grabbed the paper and another seconds passed in silence.  
  
“Gaston, I’m illiterate. I can’t read.” LeFou said with confusion. Gaston, exasperated, tried to get back his paper but only touched a soft fabric from somewhere in the darkness he only could see. So he was stuck with his beloved and foolish friend that couldn’t even read his needs. Fantastic. He hoped he’d wake up and realize it was only a nightmare because this couldn’t be happening to him. “Sorry…” He made a dismissive gesture with his hand. He was used to his incompetence. Nobody could be as skilled as him. But… now he was mute and blind, he remembered. Now he was disabled.  
  
The silence that settled in the room once again made him anxious. Had LeFou left? He didn’t heard the door, but… Only if that damned woman had left him alone! Who did she thought she had cursed? He was the great Gaston! The strongest man in France! If he had the luck of meeting that witch again he would kill her. He didn’t know how, but he would.  
  
“Gaston… I would like to know why did you left me behind when I needed your help.” LeFou’s shaky words brought his mind into reality once again. “You… betrayed me to kill an innocent person. Another innocent person, like when we left Maurice to the cold and the wolves.” LeFou’s words were increasing in speed as he increased in sadness. Gaston could only listen to him. “I- I don’t know if I should be friends with you anymore. You’re too cruel and self-centered. I’ve been thinking about this since the day we found you a week ago.” Was LeFou saying he didn’t want him around? “I want to forgive you but… I don’t know, Gaston. And now, now you are like this, cursed and injured and I know I can’t leave you alone because that would kill you in a way or another… I think I’m stuck with you, friend.” A sour laugh let out in between his monologue. “Mademoiselle Potts said I was too good for you. However, I think we are still friends, so I won’t let you die like that, although you were awful to me.”  
  
Gaston was shocked right now. He wasn’t that bad, right? He wanted so much to talk and defend himself from these attacks, but he couldn’t. He clenched his fists. He was ready to punch something to let his anger out, but he was trapped in a bed and a word of blackness. He wanted to shout to everyone they were too unfair to him. He was cursed and the only things he said to him were about him being awful? They had to be celebrating his return, not hating him. He wanted to be left alone. He didn’t need LeFou. Nevertheless, he didn’t know how to kick him out of the room, or how to tell him about it. So he prayed for him to be silent and for the sleep to quickly come at him.  
  
“However, Gaston, I’m happy to see you alive.”

  
A few weeks had passed and most of Gaston’s injuries had healed. Nonetheless, he refused to write for Belle and Prince Adam. He wasn’t communicating with anyone and that worried LeFou a lot. Even when he practically begged Gaston to make any movement that could indicate anything, he ignored him. It was as if Gaston had gone deaf too. They knew it wasn’t the case because when a door opened or a big noise sounded somewhere in the castle Gaston looked in that direction, expectant.  
  
“Gaston, the doctor has come to check your leg.” The voice of Belle, a sound Gaston learned to hate now, sounded from the door. “We have told him about the curse, so you don’t have to worry.”  
  
He only returned his empty gaze to the front. He really knew now he didn't love that woman. The doctor unmade the sling carefully and softly started to bend the knee and asked how it felt to Gaston, who nodded as a if it didn’t hurt too much. LeFou was on the edge. Would Gaston be able to walk again? The doctor then poked his knee with a small hammer LeFou had never seen before. It all seemed alright as the doctor hummed satisfied.  
  
“Everything is evolving very well. I’ll do a simple check, but he should walk a little when I put the sling again. Short walks to get his leg used to walk again, though you mustn’t force it unnecessarily.” He said as he took his temperature.  
  
“Thank you, doctor.” LeFou said relieved as Belle smiled at him. “Do you think we could get him back to his house in the village?”  
  
“He shouldn’t ride a horse, but I guess if he goes on a carriage everything will be fine.” At that Gaston looked at the where he thought the doctor was and smiled first time in what LeFou felt were years. How he missed that smile. Then, the doctor put again a different kind of sling and left.  
  
“Do you want to leave with him tomorrow, LeFou?” Prince Adam asked.  
“If it’s possible, yes, Prince.” He didn’t want to burden his friends with their presence anymore. He knew they didn’t like Gaston but they were too kind to get rid of them when Gaston couldn’t walk.  
  
“Alright, I’ll prepare everything for tomorrow on the morning.” Prince Adam smiled. “But right now we should go to take dinner. You’ll come too, Gaston. It’s time to get up.”  
  
LeFou quickly came by his side and helped him to stand up carefully. He could feel how Gaston’s muscles tensed with pain when the right leg touched the floor.  
  
“Come on, Gaston. You’re doing great.” LeFou muttered to encourage the other. “I’ll guide you, okay?” Putting himself under the right arm to support Gaston, he started to take small steps in order to save him some pain. Gaston lifted his other arm to touch his surroundings, unsure of this plan.  
  
It felt to Gaston like hours had passed since he left the bed until he sat down on the dinner table. He hated the fact he needed LeFou to help him and he counted the seconds until tomorrow. He wanted to leave this damn castle and the sickening compassionate words everyone in the castle gave him, as he was a little kid and not a grown man. It hurt deep on his ego. Even thought he was happier than before because he would be able to return home, he would do anything to have his sight and voice back. Then, he could say a few things at Belle about being such a prudish and so arrogant to reject him. And he could explain himself to LeFou. Having weeks alone with his thoughts and not being able to pronounce it tortured him, but he realized that maybe, and only maybe, he treated him a little wrong. But it had a justification, so LeFou would have no other remedy to apologize for thinking badly about him. Only if his stupid friend wasn’t illiterate…  
  
“Roasted chicken with rice, sir.”  
  
He heard the clicking of the food being served and he touched the table looking for the cutlery. The previous days it was LeFou who had fed him but now he wouldn’t embarrass himself like that in front of the servants, Belle and Prince Adam. He grabbed the fork and the knife, testing them, and then he slightly touched the rims of the plate. He tried to dig the fork in the chicken but for the texture it was the rice. Pretending it was the thing he wanted, he brought it to his mouth to eat it. Although he could not see them, he could feel their stares fixed in his actions, judging his ability with compassion. He hated that look but he wouldn’t let it made him loose his good mood. He would show them he could be fine without them. He tried to pick the chicken and this time he was successful, cutting it with the knife and eating it. A trite chat settled down on the table after that, as if they were waiting for Gaston to ask for they help. As if he would do it.  
  
“Hey, Gaston. Are you feeling better?” LeFou said softly on his right side. He hesitantly nodded. He hadn’t answered him in weeks, but right now, being outside the bed, it felt right.  
  
He was about to leave this damn castle, so he could make LeFou a little happy. He could imagine his face brightening with a big smile. And that imagination wasn’t too far from reality. LeFou felt incredibly stupid with how only a nod seemed to relieve him to an exaggerated point. All the time Gaston spent in utterly silence was because he was too angry. He shut down to make them to leave him alone and it worked pretty well with everyone except with LeFou, who insisted in trying to talk to him at least two hours per day. He didn’t understand why LeFou would do that. He could be with any woman in the village with his absurdly kind heart.  
  
“I’m wishing to finally arrive home, aren’t you?” He nodded again and smiled to his right, where he supposed LeFou was. He never thought he would be blind and he missed so much seeing the light of sun that if he thought too hard about it he felt depressed. He wanted to see the sky again, he wanted to see himself in the mirror, he wanted to see LeFou singing songs on the tavern about him with the others villagers dancing and laughing, and he wanted being able not to need a guide for him.  
  
He continued to eat as LeFou started talking about the villagers and taverns and comfy, familiar beds. He nodded sometimes to indicate him he was listening. LeFou said he would move into Gaston’s house to help him if he needed something. He nodded again; he would “talk” to him later about it. He didn’t need any help.  
  
Soon, the plate became empty, and after that, the following ones. When Belle and Prince Adam announced they were going back to their rooms, he got up and turned where he remembered the way to his room was. However, the pain stopped him taking more steps.  
  
“Monsieur Gaston!” A childish voice called him. “Monsieur Maurice told me to give you this.” A hard cylindrical piece of something long was given to him and he felt confused. What did that old man gave him?  
  
“Oh, it’s a cane!” He heard Lefou. “Thank you, Chip. Please, tell Maurice we are thankful for this.” Why did he help him? He tried to kill him.  
  
“Of course! He said something about being a good Christian and being forgiving. I didn’t understand it all but he said monsieur Gaston had what he deserved now. What did he mean?” That explained it. That old man was enjoying his pain. Then, he heard the voice of a woman calling for Chip, he supposed she was his mother, and the kid ran in other direction.  
  
He was tempted to break the cane, but he knew he needed it if he didn’t want to depend on LeFou, so he swallowed his pride and he supported on it and started to walk forward.  
  
“Gaston, wait!” He heard LeFou as he felt a hand grabbing his arm in a rush. “It’s a bit more to the left.” Then, LeFou softly guided him into the right direction. “Here.”  
  
He nodded and went forward, the warm hand of LeFou still on his arm. There was a feeling on his stomach of insecurity as he didn’t know where he was going. He could only trust LeFou was guiding him without any malice. He said a time ago they were still friends, right? So he shouldn’t have to worry about it. LeFou wouldn’t dare to hurt him in any form… Unlike him that awful night. A minute later, LeFou made him stop.  
  
“We’re here. Are you sleepy?” He shook his head negatively; he had spent most of his time in the castle in bed. If he spends any more hours immobilized in that hellish bed he would scream. Well, if he could scream. “Then you should sit down.” Before he could try to communicate, LeFou was bringing him to somewhere. He gently pushed him down a comfy armchair with a soft and smooth fabric. He closed his eyes, trying to relax. He had noticed long ago that closing his eyes helped his nerves; it felt like the blackness he always saw was more natural.  
  
Then, LeFou started humming a soft tune and massaged his tense shoulders. It felt homey and warm. LeFou had time to think about all of the things had happened these quiet weeks too. At first he was terribly scared when Gaston started to ignore him. He thought he had screwed his friendship forever with what he said. It wasn’t as he was wrong, but Gaston could be a bit… sensitive. He decided to push aside those problems and focus on helping Gaston with his leg and finding a way to break that curse, even if that meant Gaston marrying a beautiful woman. Well, he knew since forever that was the thing that was going to happen eventually but… It still hurt him a little. How could he develop such feelings for Gaston? He was deviant and aberrant, he knew. A man had to love only a woman, not other man.  
  
He felt the muscles relax under his touch and he sighed happily stopping his humming, finishing the tune after a few minutes. It didn’t matter right now. The only thing that mattered was Gaston and breaking the curse. The following day he would talk to the Bimbettes, as they were obsessed with Gaston. That was a good plan, yes. A bigger hand covered one of his trying to get his attention. Gaston was facing him.  
  
“Do you need something?” Gaston nodded and made a writing gesture. LeFou grabbed the paper and the charcoal on the nightstand. Then, slowly, Gaston started to draw something that seemed a house, and then a strong person made with sticks and big arms, but with a blindfold on his eyes. “Eh… Yes, tomorrow we are going back to your house.” Then Gaston draw a short round person LeFou assumed was him. He tried to connect that LeFou with the house but in reality he connected anything with the chimney of the oddly shaped house and Gaston looked up at him. However, he guessed what he meant after a few seconds  
“I will be in your house to help you, yes.” He then drew a cross above the arrow, crossing LeFou for error too, and circled the lower half of himself with emphasis. “No, Gaston, you can’t be alone right now.” He nodded firmly and showed his drawing in front of him though LeFou was at his right.  
  
Gaston felt as LeFou took his drawing and heard a sigh form him. “Listen to me Gaston; with this curse you won’t be able to open your own door. At least now, before you get used to this.” Gaston frowned. That wasn’t true; he was capable of many things even now and pointed to his chest proudly. “I don’t believe that’s a good idea. You have to think about it, Gaston.” He felt how his hands were again in his shoulders, rubbing the stress. If he could talk and move freely, he would lecture him about his abilities and make him obey his orders. But now, the only thing he could do was rub his tired blind eyes and sigh without any sound.  
An hour or so passed in silence before he felt how the unmoving hands LeFou rested in his shoulders after the massage left. “You know, friend, I want to help you. When we arrive to the village I’ll talk to some women so you can meet them and love them. Soon the curse will be broken and you will be able to get rid of me.” Gaston did nothing except for getting up and using his cane to locate the bed. So he really wanted to get rid of him, LeFou thought, and his heart broke a little more than it was before. He waited until Gaston tucked himself under the blankets.  
  
“Good night, Gaston.” He waved good night to him with his hand and got out the room.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh my god when I was writing this it was becoming so toxic I wanted to cry and I tried to fix it a little so I hope it's not bad or forced. Also I hope this is not too slow because I wanted to write a bit about Gaston and LeFou's thoughts.  
> However, thanks for reading and enjoy!!

The next morning, a sunny and refreshing one, LeFou woke Gaston up shaking slightly his shoulders and telling him to get ready to eat breakfast and go home finally.  
  
“I have left your clothes at the foot of the bed.” He said while sitting on the armchair, waiting to guide him to the dining room. He would pretend last night’s events never happened. He had enough problems right now to carry with that pain too.  
  
Slowly and clumsily, Gaston sat up on the bed and started to feel the sheets looking for the clothes until he found them. He grabbed something and touched it to guess what was. It seemed like a shirt, so he searched now for one of the sleeves. He struggled fitting it into his left arm but a soft smile appeared on his face when he did it. He started fumbling for the other sleeve when he heard LeFou was giggling.  
  
“Gaston, you’re putting it inside out.” LeFou got up from the armchair. He thought a week helping him to get dressed, even if it were on sleeping clothes, would help him to be able to do it alone, but it seemed it was not the case. “Can I help you?” Gaston shook his head vigorously. He looked determined to do it right without him when he took off the sleeve. Sighing a bit, LeFou decided to ignore Gaston’s answer and straightened the shirt for him.  
  
“It’s okay to ask me for help, Gaston. You know I’m the one offering that.” Gaston sighed exasperated. He didn’t care if he was offering or not, he didn’t need him. However, he wasn’t in the mood for any argument, so he let LeFou do whatever he wanted to do. When he finished dressing him Gaston got up gradually, testing his leg, and picked his cane on the side of the bed. Then, he felt a gentle hand on his arm.  
  
“It’s this way.”  
  
He walked heading the direction LeFou had indicated on his arm, trying to seem the securest man alive despite being a little scared of bumping into something when the warmth of LeFou’s hands disappeared. He was testing his surroundings with the cane, but his right leg seemed to like a little too much having the support of it, so he had to take a step, inspect his way with the cane and the take another step. It was a torture. He wouldn’t arrive at the dining room at this rate. He took a deep breath before trying to face LeFou wherever he was. He heard a happy sigh and a hand on his back. That little shit was enjoying being needed. Whatever.  
  
“You were going in the right direction.” That was a good sign, so he continued. “Now, left.” He nodded and turned. They went like this for a minute until LeFou told him he could sit down on the chair he had just prepared. Then, following the same method than the last night, he could start eating. LeFou sat down by his side in case Gaston had any problem but he was pretty able to eat.  
  
“Good morning, LeFou.” Prince Adam said while sitting down on the too large table with Belle. “Good morning, Gaston. I checked the carriage before coming. Are you ready to leave today?”  
  
“Of course, Prince. We thank you for your hospitality and help.” LeFou answered before starting to eat his own food. “We’ll leave as soon as we finish the breakfast.”  
  
“I’m glad to hear that. Feel free to visit us anytime you want.” Belle commented while Gaston rolled his eyes. He would cut his own feet before coming here. Nevertheless, LeFou smiled and nodded happily.  
  
When they finally finished eating, LeFou bade farewell to both of their hosts before one of the servants guided them to the outside of the main entrance. There was an elegant carriage that showed it was truly from royalty. LeFou couldn’t help it but to stare in absolute awe. The strong white horses, the velvet seats under a delicate sunshade, the intricate golden ornaments…  
  
“Wow, Gaston. It’s impressive, right?” He said daydreaming. When he looked at Gaston for the lack of response he got the meanest glare he had received on his entire life. “Oh, yeah… Sorry, I forgot.” To which LeFou gained a punch on his back, which he supposed was meant to his shoulder. Nonetheless, the punch melted into a firm grip on his arm as Gaston pushed LeFou softly forward. Was he telling him to hurry up?  
  
“Okay, okay. Come here.” He grabbed Gaston’s hand and pulled him forward to the carriage. “Be careful, there are a few steps.” He waited besides them and helped Gaston to go up. “The last one, then turn to your left and you can sit down.” Gaston fumbled a little before sitting down, but he grinned once he was relaxing in his seat. That made LeFou smile while he seated in front of him. Then, he talked to the driver. He seemed very optimist.  
  
“We’re ready, monsieur.”  
  
“Good, we’ll arrive in an hour or so.” They heard him saying before he urged on the horses. With a few neighs, the carriage started moving and Gaston closed his eyes, relaxing with the soft breeze and the warm sun on his face.  
  
LeFou couldn’t help but look at his happy expression. He was mesmerizing. It was like he had no curse at all, but the painted rose on his wrist was a reminder of that. The first thing LeFou was going to do when they arrive was to leave Gaston on his house and tell him to wait for him to buy some food and essentials. Then, he would get the lay of the land, asking the villagers about Gaston and look for any girl that could be a potential lover for him. Finally, they would arrange somehow a meeting and he would let the magic happen between then. Then, he could go away to get himself drunk to forget that his years-long crush was going to marry someone. Yes, a perfect plan. He should be a great tactician on some big army, or something. He wasn’t worried about himself when he would have to move away from Gaston’s side nor he was worried about being single and heartbroken for years to come. Not at all.  
  
His depressing thoughts were interrupted when Gaston snapped his fingers in front of him.  
  
“Yes, Gaston?” He pointed to his legs. “What happen with my legs?” Gaston shook his head and then touched his own pockets. LeFou mimicked his actions and felt something hard underneath the fabric. “It’s… my clock.” Gaston nodded happily. “What’s with it?” Then, he made a movement as if he was putting an object out of his pocket. “Oh! Okay!” LeFou hurried himself and looked at his clock. “It’s half past nine.” Gaston nodded and closed his eyes again, sighing.  
  
LeFou was dying to ask him why he wanted to know what hour was it, but he wouldn’t have any satisfying answer with only gestures. However, he kept looking at him, he couldn’t help it. An empty feeling of longing falling on him made him melancholic. At the end everything would be as it had to be. It didn’t matter how he was feeling, so he would just continue to ignore that feelings as he had always been trying to do. But he never thought he had to be the one to push himself out of Gaston’s life. It was so ironic that it nearly made LeFou laugh bitterly.  
  
He shouldn’t thought of that, he realized as he tried to focus on more positive things, like the refreshing smell of the nature and the noises of the village as they were now very near to it. Had it passed that long since they left the castle? He looked to his clock again. It was ten o’clock.  
  
“Where do you want me to take you?”  
  
“Oh, it’s okay if you stop at the entrance of the village.” It was a good thing Gaston’s house was near the borders of the forest and the village. Besides, it was by the perfect hunting spot.  
  
“Alright.”  
  
After a few minutes of trek outside the thicket, the carriage stopped. LeFou got up and got out of it, waiting besides the steps to help Gaston to get out too. Once both of them were going to the house, they heard the carriage coming back to the castle. It was a few minutes of walk until they arrived in front of the awaited door without meeting anybody in their way.  
  
“We’re here, Gaston!” LeFou exclaimed while he opened the door and pushed the other man inside. “Now you can really rest on a known place while I go to get something to eat today.”  
  
Gaston walked to the stairs to the second floor where his room was but stopped and turned to face his back when he heard the door shut. Did LeFou leave already? He hit the floor with his cane but nobody answered. So he was now alone, uh? Great, he didn’t want to rely that much on him, although he wanted him to remain as a friend. He reassumed his way to his room, being careful enough when going up the stairs. Slowly but firmly, he finally reached it. He went to where his bed was but he bumped into something hard that hurt his left foot. Great, now the other one stung too. He cursed in his mind while circling the damned thing.  
  
When he found his bed and sat down on it he sighed. So this was a real thing now. He was really blind and mute. It wasn’t fair. He got up again restless and went to his mirror. He tried to feel it but touched the rough wood of his wall. He moved his hand to the left and felt the cold metal framing the mirror. How could be so slow to even reach a thing? Then he finally touched the fragile surface. He was sure it was reflecting his upper body but he couldn’t see it. He couldn’t see anything. He couldn’t see his own reflection on his favorite mirror. All because that witch thought it was a great thing to curse him.  
  
He breathed in deep, trying to soothe his nerves, but it didn’t help much. He would have screamed as it was much more effective but, surprise, he couldn’t. The hand on the mirror closed and clenched. He was left with only his ears and LeFou. Oh, and Lefou seemed to be wishing to go once he got a chance. LeFou himself said that. He didn’t want to be friends with him anymore. Gaston was sure he would rather spend time with the, oh, perfect couple of Adam and Belle in the castle than with him, the one who left him back on a moment of madness. The surface behind his hands had become annoyingly hot.  
  
Okay, Gaston thought, he knew he shouldn’t have done that. He accepted he had been wrong. But now he had no way to tell him that he was sorry and that he was a great friend. Hell, he was the only one Gaston truly considered to be his friend. He wanted to go on a hunt again with him. However, thanks to that night and thanks to the witch he wouldn’t be able to do it. It wasn’t fair. He didn’t deserve that punishment. His breath started ragging and it became erratic. The only thing he wanted was to show off while killing a potential risk that could threaten everyone’s lives. He always had wanted the best for him and the entire village! He fought a hellish war! How could that woman judge his actions? That was nonsense. His hands twitched in the anger.  
  
He felt the hot quickly spiraling through his body and the desperation needle his spirit. He was losing it and he didn’t care. Anything mattered to him right now except the big mess that his life had turned on. Before he could realize it he had punched that beautiful and expensive mirror and changed into in a bunch of broken and bloodied pieces. Broken and useless, like him right now. And he couldn’t stop punching it until there wasn’t a single piece on the golden frame.  
  
His entire hand hurt, but it didn’t felt too bad. He was relieving in the pain and the hot liquid dripping between his fingers. He practically ran down the stairs, nearly tripping, and sat down on the couch before crashing onto it in front of his chimney, where he became slowly disheartened, realizing his actions. It was his beloved mirror. It was his beloved life. It was his beloved LeFou. He would be so upset when he would come back and see his damaged hands and the destroyed and dirty mirror. All this was a mess. It was the enchantress fault. He would kill her. Maybe the cuts hurt a little more now he was cooling down. He was staining his clothes and the couch with his own blood but he couldn’t care about it right now. His head ached a bit. Where was LeFou when he needed him...? Oh, wait, he was sure that was the same thing LeFou asked himself that night. He felt like crying out of desperation, but he was a man, he couldn’t allow himself. Leaning back on the couch he tried to leave his mind empty of any worries.  
  
In that position he spent less than an hour he felt like days, sensing the shame building in himself, until he heard the door open.  
  
“I’m back, Gaston, how are y-” Then he heard something falling on the floor. “What had happened?! Why there’s blood on the floor!?” A hint of frighten drenched the shocked words of LeFou. He lifted one of his now soaked in red hands to indicate where he was.  
  
“Gaston? What happened?!” He heard hurried steps approaching him, and then he felt hands grabbing his. “Why do you have cuts on your hands? Did someone come by? I’ll go to grab the alcohol and the bandages!” The same hurried steps got away from him after that worried questions. In no time LeFou was back and Gaston couldn’t avoid gasping when the disinfectant touched his wounds without any warning.  
  
“Gaston, answer me. What happened?” He only pointed upwards to the second floor. “There… Is there someone there?” He heard how scared LeFou seemed getting, swallowing hard. He shook his head. “Wait a second here; I’ll check your room.” He felt how his hands were put on a soft towel and he was left quietly on his seat.  
  
LeFou followed the blood trail upstairs and carefully opened the half opened door when a lot of little reflects blinded him for a second. The shattered pieces of the broken mirror threatened him with all of his sharp angles and their crimson look. Then LeFou looked at the naked frame, so cold and impersonal. He basically could picture what could have happened in his mind, all of the possibilities. From the innocence of a sudden and unlucky trip to the floor to the most heated anger he had seen possessing Gaston sometimes. LeFou felt awful. He knew Gaston was like a big kid, he shouldn’t have left him alone. And he knew it was a consequence of his rage. He felt the stillness after the storm.  
  
As slow and cold he had felt the room, he walked down the stairs and approached Gaston in the couch. He shouldn’t have left him alone but, if he happened to be there during that outburst, could have he got hurt? No, he discarded the idea. He couldn’t possible do it. He gently picked Gaston’s hands and continued to apply the alcohol and the bandages until he was finished. Thank god he didn’t have any deep cuts, only superficial ones.  
  
“Gaston, I’m not sure what happened, but…” He had to build the courage as he looked at the blank expression Gaston had. “You shouldn’t hurt yourself like that.” He kneeled besides his friend and softly touched his shoulder. “I mean, it’s a difficult situation but… You know you can count on me.”  
  
Then, all of a sudden, he was surrounded by strong arms that pushed him into Gaston’s chest. His heart beat quickened. He didn’t understand that abrupt hug, but he was more than happy to reciprocate and shyly embraced the other his own shorter arms. The breath on his head tickled nicely and he felt he had died and had gone to heaven. He could only think that he wanted this little moment to last forever.  
  
Gaston had felt so fragile for a second, he had felt so bad. If he started behaving since that very moment, perhaps he could preserve his friendship with LeFou. He had only committed one single error, right? Friendship was meant to last. If he took a bit of care about it, it will go smoothly. And maybe the enchantress meant love on a platonic way, so treating LeFou well would gain him point on his favor. However, he left his thoughts of negotiation slid away from his mind as he felt finally LeFou hugging him too and smirked at the cute gesture. He only wanted to enjoy the warmth for a little after having pushed himself away of human contact those weeks on the castle.  
  
“Hey, Gaston, have you got fever?” LeFou giggled after maybe too much minutes had passed. “I have never seen you so affectionate.”  
  
He strengthened the hug, not comforted enough after that alienating episode of rage. He didn’t care about the previous treatment he gave LeFou. He had decided he was going to be nicer to him and he was going to maintain his unsaid word. And if it made him earn the favor of the enchantress, it will be a welcomed side-effect. He was strong, he was capable, but he was human and he needed a friend, like any other human.  
  
LeFou really didn’t want to complain about it before. Although he had seen vulnerable moments on Gaston’s life, this was the first time he reacted like that. He was feeling numb on the warmth and the safety of his arms. He had to bit his lip to resist the urge to bury his face on his chest and breathe in. Why was Gaston doing this to him? He was going crazy.  
  
“Gaston… I need to pick the food from the floor.” His quiet voice betrayed his true desires.  
  
As slow as a torture, Gaston moved his arms away, brushing his clothes with his fingertips. LeFou thanked god he couldn’t see his flushed face and his melted expression. He was so repulsively in love with him. He wished he wasn’t born this way, but moments like this were the ones made it worth. The soft way Gaston was smiling, so true and nothing like the smirk he put on when he was showing off. Affectionately, Gaston’s hand tried to go to the top of his head to ruffle his hair. LeFou knew it, so he guided his hands, dying on his insides. It was like going back when they were children, when everything was simpler. When Gaston achieved his goal, he smirked and let him go, so he got up to the groceries he had dropped in surprise when he had arrived.  
  
“The village is the same as always.” He said with a humored tone, while he picked the heavy bag on the floor. “Some people were talking about the castle, however.” When he came back from the kitchen after leaving the things he bought there, he sat down besides the silent Gaston.  
  
“Some of them even asked for you. But don’t worry, I haven’t told any of them you were cursed. I thought it was better to announce it when you were present.” And they were generally not happy to hear him was alive. Actually, the better responses were the ones filled with indifference. Villagers didn’t appreciate the attempt of Gaston to kill Maurice or Adam, either. They had always admired Gaston’s heroic deeds, not Gaston himself. The quest of searching a potential girlfriend would be harder than he initially thought.  
  
Gaston sighed. He had to get out the house, so they would eventually know about his curse. It was humiliating. What could happen to him now? He had hit rock bottom.  
  
“Would you like to take a walk this afternoon? Then everyone could greet you.” Gaston nodded. And they could go later to the tavern and get a little tipsy to drown their worries. He was craving to numb his senses with good big ale.  
  
And as said, after having lunch and resting a little bit, they went outside. The sun kissed their skin as LeFou guided Gaston into the heart of the village. Nevertheless, the starting comfort soon turned sour to Gaston. He wasn’t deaf so he could hear how everyone went quiet as he passed by them, starting to mumble under their breaths. He was sure they were gossiping about him, but he couldn’t defend himself.  
  
“The marketplace is really full, Gaston. There are even some travelers selling weird things.” LeFou tried to fill the quiet atmosphere, not being really successful.  
  
“Oh! LeFou! It’s good to see you!” Gaston heard a male voice approaching them. “And Gaston! I thought you died.” He simply shrugged.  
  
“It’s good to see you too, Stanley.” Oh, so he was one of that trio of the tavern. “Believe me, I thought he had died too. Thankfully it’s not the case.”  
  
“I see. Where had you two been?”  
  
“At the castle. We had waited to Gaston’s injuries to heal.” Stanley made an affirmative noise, as understanding the reason.  
  
“Have you remembered Adam now, Gaston?” He nodded shortly. “ Are you alright? I mean, you are awfully quiet and your gaze seems off…” He sighed as the uncertain words left Stanley’s mouth. He softly elbowed LeFou to urge him to explain everything. The sooner they finish talking, the sooner they would get to drink.  
  
“Oh, you see… Do you remember the enchantress? Agatha?” A short silence. “Well, she helped Gaston to survive but she also cursed him. He now can’t see nor talk.” Another awkward moment.  
  
“It’s… a shame, Gaston. I hope you recover fast.” The words sounded hollowed to him.  
  
“Stanley, friend, do you know someone interested in him? The curse will broke when he starts loving someone, but I thought it would be easier if the girl liked him too.” He huffed. He could find someone alone. He didn’t need LeFou to play matchmaker.  
  
“Oh, yes. I know someone.” There was a change on Stanley’s speech, which became playful and teasing. “But I don’t know if I should tell you, sorry.”  
  
“What? Stanley, I’m serious. We need to have all Gaston back. Voice and sight included.”  
  
“I’m serious too! But we all have secrets; and I think this one must remain as one for now.” Who was referring Stanley? Gaston started wondering. He had thought practically every woman in the village loved him, but now he wasn’t that sure, seeing how anyone would talk to him.  
  
“Well! Thanks for nothing then, Stanley. I hope you choke on your own beer tonight.” LeFou joked while laughing, knowing he couldn’t force him to talk if he didn’t want to.  
  
“Are you going to come this night?” Stanley’s eyes shone with fun. All of this had been an interesting turn of events for them both. Mostly for his friend LeFou.  
  
“I don’t know…” LeFou turned to see Gaston, who nodded energetically. “It seems like we’ll go.”  
  
Stanley nodded softly with a big smile. He would have to talk with LeFou later, when Gaston couldn’t hear them.  
  
Oh, that night would be interesting indeed.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jokes on me, I got seriously drunk this weekend and the hangover lasted two days so I couldn't write. I'm a disaster. Kids, don't follow mine or Gaston's example.  
> Also, I imagine Stanley like this friend who means well but can be a pain in the ass because he likes to pester the rest of his friends. I love those friends.  
> However, I hope this chapter is a good one, because I think it's important for Gaston's view.  
> Thank you for reading and enjoy!!

The night of that Friday eventually came, the sun hiding to let the moon take its position. The streets began to quiet down as the villagers were coming home to rest or to the tavern to socialize. The chilly air ran between the buildings when LeFou and Gaston arrived to the door of the bar.  
  
“We’re here.” Gaston nodded eagerly hearing the softened racket and laughs from the inside.  
  
Only a few people noticed their entrance into the building, the rest of them were too busy with their own business, having a good time. Gaston followed LeFou closely through the crowd but he felt really lost. He was bumping to people and he was elbowed a few times, but he couldn’t stop to argue because then he would lose LeFou’s help. And he couldn’t argue to begin with. He didn’t like that feeling of chaos, of uncertainty, when he had always being able to handle practically everything.  
  
LeFou could sense how tense Gaston was becoming behind him, so he spotted his throne-like chair, which was free. It was like nobody wanted to sit there because the chair was cursed as his owner was. He decided to leave those cold thoughts behind as he approached it, guiding Gaston.  
  
“Sit here, Gaston!” He had to rise his voice above the overall noise while making him reach the seat. “I’ll come back with something to drink!”  
  
Dodging a lot of already drunk men and women, he finally reached the counter and waited to the barman to notice him. He didn’t doubt Gaston was also hearing the occasional whisper: “Look, he’s alive after what he had done.” “Yes, but haven’t you heard he is cursed?” Damn Stanley. “Yes, blind and mute, I heard, but I don’t know too much.” “Do you think the curse will break like the one Adam had? With true love and all that.” “I don’t know, but I heard he’s-” “Shut up!” LeFou had looked at them and they immediately had stopped talking. He was going to say something to stop any bad rumors when he was abruptly interrupted by the barman asking what he wanted.  
  
“Two mugs of beer, please.” When he started pouring the beer a voice distracted LeFou.  
  
“Good night, friend. I see you have come!” Stanley supported himself in the counter by his side, a cocky smile on his face.  
  
“Yes, we have. And I see you can’t keep news to yourself, especially the ones including curses.” He laced his voice in sarcasm.  
  
“Oh, I wasn’t the one who spread it. Someone must have heard us before.” LeFou only hummed as he got the beers on his hands. “Hey, LeFou. Later on we have to talk about something.” LeFou arched an eyebrow, suspicious at this. “About that someone who likes Gaston, you know.”  
  
“And why later? Can’t you tell me about it now?” LeFou started to turn careful not to spill anything. Then, he headed to Gaston, Stanley following him. “Also, where are Tom and Dick?”  
  
“I don’t know, I guess they’ll come later.” Stanley sipped his own beer smiling. “And I think it’s better if we have that conversation as private as possible, away from Gaston’s hearing.”  
  
“I’m starting to worry, buddy. Who the hell is that girl?” He looked at Gaston, who was surrounded by the Bimbettes. However, he didn’t look like he was having any fun. “Wait a minute I give this to Gaston and we can go outside a moment.” He needed that information to break Gaston’s curse, yes, but Stanley also had managed to wake his curiosity.  
  
“Okay.” Then they finally got beside him. There were too many people in that tavern. “Gaston! It’s good to see you again!” Stanley ignored the annoyed expressions the Bimbettes had, who left instantly.  
  
“Gaston, take our mugs.” LeFou said kindly. “I have to get out a moment, okay? Don’t move.” As if he could move in that crowd. He nodded slowly. Being left alone didn’t sound very appealing, but he couldn’t compel LeFou to stay even if he wanted to. “I’ll come back on a minute.”  
  
He looked again to check on Gaston after closing the door behind them once they were outside. He had started drinking his mug. Outside was even colder than before, little condensation clouds forming from their breaths. It smelled strongly of rain.  
  
“Well, Stanley. We’re out. Will you be kind enough now to tell me about the girl?” He tried to soak his words with the biggest amount of sarcasm he could. However, Stanley laughed.  
  
“Yes, friend. But I don’t know if girl is the best way to refer to him.” LeFou froze on an instant, looking at Stanley cautiously. It couldn’t be.  
  
“W-What do you mean? Him?”  
  
“Yes. Would you like to know his name?” Stanley started to walk away from the door. LeFou took a bit to follow his steps, with his mouth firmly shut and his eyes very open. “Well, do you want to know it or not?” He only nodded. “I think it’s a name your familiar with. Won’t you try to guess it?”  
  
“Stanley. Don’t.” LeFou could swear he had his heart dying.  
  
“Okay. LeFou. I know you love him.” He stopped. How…? He had to run away, but he couldn’t move. He was dead; they would try to cure him but- “LeFou. It’s okay. It’s weird, yes, but you would be surprised about how many people like you are around. Everyone has secrets.” He couldn’t believe what he was hearing.  
  
“H-How did you know? Promise me you haven’t told anyone.” He was surprised he could even talk, he was shaking. He wasn’t that obvious, isn’t he?  
  
“I haven’t, LeFou. It’s just I’m very observant. You don’t have to worry.”  
  
“How don’t I have to worry? Are you mad?” He couldn’t believe the naivety of Stanley. He was younger than LeFou, but it was undoubtedly a bad thing being the way he was on that society of them. “You know, there was this pal in the war, in our army. Someone discovered he was a sodomite. The next morning he was raped and beaten up. The next week he was sent to scout the battlefront alone. He obviously died.” LeFou rubbed his face with his hands, terribly tired all of the sudden. “I know I’m not the only one, but I don’t want to end like him.”  
  
“I’ll tell you a secret, okay?” Stanley said while stretching, like he was oblivious to the anxiety of his friend. “I don’t like girls either. But their dresses are beautiful.” He giggled softly. “Nothing will happen to you, LeFou. It’s okay.” LeFou stayed silent for a while, looking at him shocked, was he too…?. He decided it was now the right moment to change the subject of that talk.  
  
“Well… However, what does this have to do with Gaston? I remind you I need a girl for him to fall in love.” He repeated sourly.  
  
“Are you sure?”  
  
“What? Is there another way to break a curse? Because I would gladly hear about it.” He crossed his arms on his chest. He was guessing what Stanley was implying, but he wouldn’t buy it.  
  
“I mean that it doesn’t have to be a girl he falls for.” LeFou gasped exasperated. “Hey, calm down, LeFou. I said everyone has secrets, and I know people who know other people.”  
  
“I’m getting tired of your secrecy. Gaston obviously likes girls. He’s not something like us.”… right?  
  
“I’m not saying he doesn’t like girls. I’m only saying that… you have to be careful. You’re my friend and I don’t want you getting hurt for someone like him.” LeFou made an indignant sound to which Stanley could only laugh.  
  
“He’s a great man, seriously. It’s only he gets a little hot-headed sometimes.”  
  
“As you say, LeFou.” Stanley laughed as he shook his head. Then he turned to face the bar they had left a bit behind. “We should go back. Your boy is waiting for you.” At that he received a smack on his back.  
  
“Shut up! It’s dangerous!” LeFou turned to look everywhere, on alert.  
  
“Yes, sorry.” He giggled apologetically. “I wonder if Tom and Dick will arrive soon.”  
  
Before opening the door, LeFou stopped Stanley hesitantly.  
  
“Thanks. For the secret. I’ll keep it.” To which Stanley could only smile happily.  
  
“You’re welcome, bud.” Then he opened the door and disappeared on the laughing pile of persons.  
  
The wave of heat counteracted with the cold from the outside, making LeFou feel dizzy for a moment. He searched with his eyes for Gaston on his chair but when he finally found the seat, Gaston wasn’t there. LeFou chewed the inside of his cheeks, nervous. If he had left Stanley and him would have noticed, right? He went to the chair, looking at the people drinking. How could he lose a grown man? He scanned the bar and suddenly he saw him all alone, hunched on the counter with two mugs empty and one half empty. They weren’t that much time outside. He quickly came to him and touched his back as he sat at his left side.  
  
“Gaston, I’m back. Are you okay?” He asked worried by the huge amount of alcohol he had drunk on very little time. Gaston startled, surprised by the sudden touch and words. Hazily, he nodded and sighed. He was listening closely to all of the muttering the people nearby him were doing. They were making fun of him and they wished he would leave the villager because “a blind person is always a bad omen”. He wouldn’t leave. He had his own self-respect. He would recover his voice and sight, and then he would earn their respect and love back with ease. He gulped down a good amount of beer again.  
  
“Wow, Gaston, calm down. Drink slower.” LeFou grabbed the beer the other had on his hands. Had Gaston also drank his own beer? He was going to pay for another if he wanted one, so he pouted to the nearly empty mug. He gulped the remains before Gaston could try to get it back. “Two more mugs, please!” LeFou ordered the barman, who quickly obeyed.  
  
When another fresh mug of beer went to Gaston’s hands, he sighed relieved. He wasn’t drunk enough. He needed more. He wanted to forget for a moment he couldn’t see the golden color of the beer or that he couldn’t praise its taste with words. He lifted it to the left, where he could feel LeFou’s side pressed to his due to the small space on the counter. His friend seemed to know what Gaston wanted, so he lifted his beer to and toasted in silence.  
  
“For your curse to be broken soon.” LeFou muttered before drinking a good amount from his mug. Gaston nodded briefly, and then he resumed drinking like it was the end of the world.  
  
Gulp after gulp, Gaston was starting to feel light headed and smiled. Yes, that was what he was looking for. He shook his head and felt how his brain seemed liquid now. He knew that was his peak of drinking, but maybe now, if he drank a little more… He took the last sip of the mug after emptying it while hearing LeFou talking about something. He was determined to push his limits and forget about his worries, because if he got drunk he would care less about things. He took more beer.  
  
“Gaston, I think you are drinking too much.” Gaston only shrugged. He wanted to stop listening to the whispers judging him. He wanted to hear that voices worshipping him again. He showed his again empty mug to LeFou, indicating him he wanted another. “I don’t think it’s a good idea…” He insisted moving the mug. LeFou had to harden his tone and deny it. “No, Gaston. It’s getting late, we’re coming home.”  
  
LeFou got up from his seat; the costumers had been decreasing in number as the night hours passed. He was close to get drunk, but seeing his friend being nearly trashed had stopped him. He had to guide him. Taking that mug from him and urging him to stand up, he putted some money on the counter for their drinks. Gaston started pouting like a little kid who couldn’t stand on his own feet, needing to support himself on his cane and his friend. He couldn’t feel his own touch on his face, it seemed foreign. Then, he noticed how he had started walking besides LeFou and the arm surrounding his waist, helping him. He giggled without sound; it was like he was one of the girls he used to flirt with. He wanted to hug LeFou.  
  
He suddenly felt how cold it was outside and it made him shiver. He leaned more on LeFou, wanting to stay warm. However, the shivers didn’t stop and he quickly got away from his friend, looking for somewhere to support himself. He didn’t find it, so he nearly tripped on his own puke he couldn’t avoid vomiting. He felt terribly sick in that moment. That wasn’t what he wanted. He must look terribly pathetic.  
  
“Gaston, it’s okay. Don’t worry. It happens.” He heard LeFou talking to him. His hand on his back, rubbing circles and guiding him to a wall where he could rest a bit, felt like it was the best thing in the world. However, he had to puke again. His throat ached too much and he couldn’t muster up strength to continue the way back home.  
  
He shouldn’t have drunk more than usual. There were two possibilities when he drank that much, he would puke and felt horrible, or he would forget everything about that night, which was the one he was looking for but even that wasn’t allowed to him. He wanted to cry. Why was everything that unfair? Why everyone except LeFou had abandoned him?  
  
“Are you okay?” He shook his head as he felt the bile on his throat again. “When you get better we’ll head to your house, alright?” He nodded but didn’t move. He felt that if he moved he would felt worse.  
  
Long ten minutes in the cold passed with him crouched down leaning on a wall and LeFou comforting him when he finally found the strength to walk again. The shivers didn’t stop running down his back.  
  
“Good, Gaston. We’ll walk slowly.” LeFou said while putting his arm on his waist again for support. What a good man, Gaston thought, helping him even with all the things he had done. Only if he had voice, he would ask him to marry him right now. What silly thoughts, he smiled. He wanted to thank him, but he couldn’t right know. “Hold on, we’re arriving soon.” He nodded. It sounded very appealing a comfy bed, but he didn’t want to sleep all alone. He wanted to be comforted; he wanted to feel the love the villagers had withheld.  
  
“We’re here. Are you alright?” He stopped and shook his head. He needed a moment before going inside. He inhaled and exhaled. Everything seemed okay, he didn’t feel the urge to vomit. He was thirsty, so he made a clumsy drinking motion. “Do you want water?” He nodded. “Okay, wait a second.” He heard the door but the next thing he noticed was someone bringing something cold to his lips. He anxiously started drinking the thankfully cold water. It helped him to clear a bit his mind. Then he let himself rest against LeFou, smiling.  
  
“Gaston! I can’t carry you inside like this!” He stood up again pouting; then he searched for the doorknob. Suddenly, he was on his bed lying down. When had he gone the stairs up? He couldn’t remember it. Where was LeFou? He moved his hands trying to locate him. He didn’t want to be alone in that dark room.  
  
“I’m here, do you want more water?” He shook his head lazily as he redirected his hands where he thought LeFou had talked. He felt other hands grabbing his and he pulled softly them to him. “G-Gaston?” Yes, that was his name. What was saying LeFou? “I… We can’t sleep in the same bed. W-we are not kids anymore.” Was that his problem? He didn’t care; he only wanted to be loved, so he continued to pull until he felt the bed sinking under the other man’s weight.  
  
“Why are you doing this?” LeFou was finally pulled into a hug by Gaston and felt him nuzzling against his neck. A shiver of pleasure shook his entire body as he resisted the desire to kiss the other man. However, he gave himself the license to reciprocate the hug. The next day he could blame the alcohol, which wouldn’t be entirely a lie. Gaston sighed on his skin as his muscles relaxed when he fell on a deep slumber fast. He himself felt his lids slowly shutting down, the busy day they had finally took its toll on him. Let tomorrow’s LeFou face this embarrassing position, he thought, loving that beautiful feeling that moment made on his heart too much to spoil it. When the room had become so hot?

 

The soft sunshine touched their intertwined bodies under the covers. LeFou fluttered his eyes open, annoyed by the sudden clarity, when he remembered where he was and whose arms he was in. The blush didn’t wait too much to make its appearance along with the jumpy heartbeat. He could swear it was even audible. He slowly tried to get up from the bed, but the hug strengthened around him, impeding him any way of escape. Gaston face was distorted on malaise as he slowly opened his eyes too. His hands moved on LeFou’s back as he sank his face on his neck.  
  
“Good morning. Are you feeling sick?” LeFou muttered worriedly by the sickness on his actions. He felt how Gaston nodded. “Do you want me to do something for breakfast?” Gaston shook his head this time  
  
Gaston felt truly awful. He had all this shivers and nauseas running on his body and the disgusting taste of vomit on his mouth and throat. Why had he thought it was a great idea to drink that much? He wanted to sleep bit more but the soft touch of LeFou’s hands was too distracting and comforting. He wanted to thank him, but he didn’t know how. It made him feel depressed.  
  
“Gaston, we should get up.” He heard LeFou say above his head. “We should get ready for the day.” But he didn’t want to live that day, he felt sick. And it’s not like anybody would miss him in the village. Everyone hated him for something he wished he didn’t do. So, why it mattered? He didn’t budge.  
  
He remembered vaguely the night before. The people gossiping about him, LeFou trying to make him drink less, the sadness and desperation, the puking… He had wished LeFou to marry him. That didn’t sound now as funny as it did the previous day. His father always said he needed to marry some cute girl and have lots of children. His father said that his aunt was going to burn on the flames of hell because she kissed a girl once, too. What nonsense, it was probably a side effect of the alcohol; he didn’t need to worry about it.  
  
“Gaston, please. I’m hungry.” LeFou was starting to move again when Gaston turned on his back, facing the ceiling and covering his eyes with his forearm. “I’ll make you a tea, come down when you are ready, okay?” Before he could stop himself, LeFou caressed softly Gaston’s locks. When Gaston sighed relaxing and nodded, he stopped abruptly and got out the bed, flustered. It wasn’t right, but he couldn’t help himself. The butterflies on his stomach didn’t leave him until he was down on the kitchen making something to eat.  
  
When he had finished, Gaston came down the room and sat on the table with the help of LeFou. However, he only started drinking the tea as he knew if he ate something he would throw up it later.  
  
“You should rest, Gaston. You drank too much yesterday.” LeFou said after a few moments of silence. “I’ll go to the drugstore to buy something for your stomach.” Gaston nodded. “Also, you remember when I left with Stanley for a moment?” Another nod. “Well, the Bimbettes were talking with you, right? What was it about?” If any of those women was still interested on Gaston, LeFou could ask them to help with the curse. A strange feeling of sadness sank on him, but it was for Gaston he was doing that.  
  
Gaston’s frown deepened and he stopped with his tea. He pointed to his eyes, then to his mouth.  
  
“Were they talking about your curse?” LeFou tried guessing. He nodded but he feigned laughter and made an effeminate gesture with his hand. “Were they laughing… at you?” Gaston nodded before resuming his drink. So the Bimbettes were discarded, LeFou thought worried. How could everyone change that much?  
  
“Gaston, we need to get rid of your curse as soon as possible.” Gaston rolled his eyes at the obviousness. “Were you interested in someone before the whole Belle thing? Maybe if you were, we could talk with that someone and break it.” Gaston hesitated for a moment before shaking his head negatively. LeFou sighed. That didn’t help him. “What if tomorrow we take a walk and I try to introduce you to some girls that maybe you don’t know? It could work.” Gaston only shrugged. He didn’t have the health to worry about that in that very moment.  
  
When LeFou finished his breakfast, he got up the table and put the dishes on the sink.  
  
“I’ll come back later.” Gaston waved him goodbye.  
  
It seemed to get harder and harder the quest of looking for a girl for Gaston, LeFou thought while walking to the marketplace. Then he remembered Stanley’s words, and felt the nervousness on the pit of his stomach. No, but it wasn’t as easy, LeFou denied to himself. Damned Stanley, who gave him the right to give LeFou such an empty hope of requited love? Now Gaston needed him as a friend a lot, that morning cuddling only meant that, right?


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's another chapter I hope you all enjoy!!

Day by day, time passed on the calm France. Gaston was getting accustomed to his new handicaps as he already could move freely although not a lot because of his leg, which was healing fast. However, he felt his confidence boost when he didn’t need LeFou’s help to pick a glass of water or move around the house. He noticed how he learned to listen to everyone’s words more attentively and to think about what he wanted to communicate and how. He also picked little habits of LeFou he didn’t know his friend did, like humming while he was setting the table or that time he confessed to him he liked to water the flowers that were near his house.  
  
He still felt angry and depressed a lot, feeling he would never be as independent as he was before the curse if he didn’t find a way to break it, and nobody on the village seemed willing to help him besides LeFou and maybe Stanley, Tom and Dick. Being unable to speak his mind while hearing the other people gossip about him had made him angry at first, but now he only felt cold. He realized slowly he never did anything for the village; instead he did it for him, to increase his already huge ego. He liked to feel needed and he liked to be praised. Now, it was the opposite. Now the only thing he wanted was to redeem. He had learned his lesson, why the enchantress maintained the curse?  
  
The first step to be like himself again, he thought, was to be able to walk to the marketplace, buy an apple or something like that and come back home all alone. He would show LeFou he could leave the house by himself because he had been so protective with him he wanted to surprise him. He wanted to make his friend proud of him. And with a little of luck LeFou would go back to his own home as Gaston felt a bit responsible of being such a burden to him though he had assured him he was doing this gladly.  
  
And like he had planned, when LeFou left to meet some relatives who had conveniently came there to visit, he took his cane and with confident steps, he went out the house. The afternoon breath refreshed him, inspiring more courage. Yes, he could do this. He checked he had enough coins on his pocket, and then he headed to the market. This trip seemed easier than any of the ones he had tried before, helping himself with his cane and pricking up his ears just in case. The only thing he had to do was walk down the way he had made billions of times before, it was easy. He could start smelling the bread and the victory.  
  
Soon, he started hearing the chatter of multiple persons as he neared the place he knew it was the market. A confident smirk appeared on his face, he was doing it. He was taking back his independence. He was as able as before. When he could realize it, he already was on the marketplace, surrounded by other people. He went to the right, to where he remembered there was the fruit stand. The cane bumped softly against something and he heard the strong voice of the married woman who managed the stand.  
  
“Hello, Gaston! What are you doing here alone? Where’s LeFou?” He shrugged and then he pointed to where he thought there were the fruit. “Do you want to buy something?” Gaston nodded. “What do you want?” After a few seconds of silence he heard the woman laugh.  
  
“Oh, yes. Right. Pears?” He shook his head. “Oranges? Peaches? Apples?” He continued shaking his head until he heard the apple, and then he nodded, picking the coins on his pocket. “How many do you want?” He lifted two fingers while he was offering the money. “Well, I take this…” She took some coins from his hand. “And here you have.” After keeping the rest of the money on his jacket, he took the fruit the woman was offering to him.  
  
“Thank you! However, Gaston, you shouldn’t go alone, I heard a few of the villagers really hate you for the castle thing. You know, relatives of the staff of the castle.” He nodded, listening. It was interesting information. “I also heard you can break a curse if you find a good girl to love.” She laughed maliciously. “It’s a shame someone so handsome like you won’t find anyone in this village after what you have do. I haven’t heard any young girl talk good things about you.” He didn’t need to keep listening to the gossips of that woman. He frowned deeply to her.  
  
“Oh, Gaston. You don’t have to make that face. I’m sure you’ll find someone eventually, but until that you have to rely on that fool of your friend. I don’t understand how he still tags along with you. However, I’m not sure if he also can find a wife. I heard rumors about him too, you know, because he never really had a girlfriend. Maybe you have to be careful… Hey, are you listening?” Of course he wasn’t. He had enough. He understood people talked about him, but what had done LeFou? He waved aggressively goodbye and turned to leave. He heard the woman gasp incensed but he didn’t care. He would have said a few thing if he could to make sure she respected others.  
  
Too bothered with the anger, he started to walk in any direction without noticing. He bumped onto a corner, and that made him more irritated. How could she dare? How could anyone spread rumors about LeFou when he had been more than a great person? His blood was boiling on his veins. He wondered about what was saying that woman. What kind of gossips could be possibly spread about him? Anyone would love to be with him. He’s caring and attentive and funny. Gaston was so blind before, not realizing he had such a wonderful man by his side. He already knew LeFou was great, but now he was pretty sure he could win anybody’s heart with ease. And that woman had no idea.  
  
Becoming lost on his thoughts, he turned to the right when he found a wall on his front. Then he turned left when he had the same problem. He didn’t know how long he had been walking when he finally felt the exhaustion hit his body. He shouldn’t walk that much, his leg was still recovering. And then, he realized he didn’t know where he was. It was terribly quiet, only some birds were singing happily. A cold sweat started forming on his back. Where was he?  
  
He could try walking in any direction and hope it was the right one, but he could end farer from his house. He could have shouted for help, but he was mute. He didn’t know what to do, he felt frozen on that spot. He shouldn’t have left like that from the marketplace. He couldn’t believe how fool had been that action. Now he was alone God knows where. Why wasn’t anyone there? Let’s calm down, Gaston thought, if he trace his steps back he would arrive to the market again. Taking a deep breath he turned and started walking with flickering confidence.  
  
He was getting paranoid. Did he turned to the left now or he had to walk a bit more? When would someone find him? Why everything was so quiet? Where was everyone? He strengthened the grip on his cane and the paper bag where he carried the apples. How long had he been lost? He didn’t feel the sun anymore and he didn’t know it was because of the narrow streets where he found himself or because the sun was setting.  
  
Suddenly he heard some steps coming from behind and he turned quickly. He tried to seem casual but he felt like a frightened deer.  
  
“Look who we have here, boys!” A male voice said. He tried to locate its owner, but he was too nervous by the threatening tone of the voice. “The blind and mute Gaston who tried to kill Prince Adam!” He started to retreat slowly but a hand grabbed his arm.  
  
“We never really liked you. You always had all the girls and the admiration of everyone.” Another voice said. “We wanted some promiscuous woman too. But you always had to be in our way.” What were they saying?  
  
“Yes, don’t you remember when we had this drunken girl to do funny things?” A third male voice said from his left. “You have to come like the hero you think you are and snatch her from us to bring her to the tavern!” He remembered that night! She was Tom’s little sister! How could he betray his friend and did nothing when she was going to get abused?  
  
“Well, by your face I think you remember. Then, you could win any of us with your strength, but now it seems like that have changed.” The hand on his arm closed powerfully. He took his arm away with a quick move. Laughter filled his ears. “He thinks he can do something against us, isn’t it funny?” He clenched his jaw, he knew he had everything on his bad, but perhaps if he was fast enough…  
  
Before he could react, two strong hands gripped each one of his arms. He tried to struggle against it but he received a blow on the pit of his stomach, removing all the breath of his lungs at the same time. He bended in pain and one of them stomped over his instep. He was gasping for air when another punch hit his stomach full force.  
  
“What had been the great Gaston reduced to?” One mocked while laughing.  
  
“No one takes a beating like Gaston!” He was grabbed by his hair to face the front. “What do you think, hm? Oh, no. It’s true. You can’t talk.” The other man released his head but then he was thrown to the ground. The gravel sunk on his skin, making him bleed.  
  
He tried to stand up quickly, but a kick made him fall again. Then, kick after kick, he was left on the ground trying to cover his head. How could he be so weak…? The pain stung and the desperation was building inside him. Would they kill him? He didn’t know what to do. He didn’t know where his attackers were, he only felt a rain of attacks. He was left defenseless. He was choking because the air didn’t reach his lungs with all the kicks he was receiving in his torso. He wished he wouldn’t leave his home. He was a fool. How could he think he was as capable as before? He would have won this fight before; he wouldn’t have gone lost firstly. He was useless.  
  
“I think he got what he deserved.” A voice said after a while and the kicks stopped.  
  
“Yes, we don’t want to murder him. Although it would be easy.” A foot stepped on his head.  
  
“It’s pathetic. Let’s go.” Gaston stopped feeling the pressure on his head. The sound of the men moving away was heard.  
  
He didn’t want to get up. He wanted to lie on the floor until he died. It’s not like getting up would do anything in his favor. He was still lost. He was still alone. He was starting to get cold, he thought as an irony taste remained on his mouth.

 

  
LeFou came back from the visit with his relatives that came from Paris exhausted. He loved his family, but sometimes it could be a bit difficult dealing with younger cousins.  
  
“Gaston! I’m back!” He said as he opened the door. He left his jacket and the bag with the presents he had received from his uncle on the table of the living room. “We have free cheese!”  
  
He stopped on his tracks, it was oddly silent. Gaston would have met him by now or he would have made some noise. He looked for him on the kitchen and his bedroom. He was nowhere.  
  
“Gaston?” He called pointlessly. Where had he could go? LeFou had a bad omen about this. Should he wait until Gaston came back? Should he go out searching? What if something bad had happened?  
  
He quickly grabbed his jacket and went out the house. Where could he have gone? Maybe to the tavern? The marketplace? The church? He started walking to the main square of the village, which was basically the center of it. Maybe someone there had seen Gaston. He fastened his pace as he felt the nervousness inside him.  
  
When he finally arrived there, a lot of stands of the market had closed, but he didn’t give up and started asking to some of the people there were. However, no one seemed to have seen him, or they didn’t remember which way he took. At least Gaston had been there.  
  
“LeFou!” He heard the woman of the fruit stand call for him, so he approached her quickly. “Are you looking for Gaston? He came here to buy two apples.” Apples? Why? LeFou was confused. They had on his house.  
  
“Yes, do you know where he headed before?” LeFou smiled at her.  
  
“He went direction to the tavern, but then turned to the left.” She sighed. “He has such a bad temper. I only was giving him advice when he got angry!”  
  
“I’m sure it was a very helpful advice.” He answered with sarcasm. She was probably just gossiping, as usual. “I’ll look for him, thank you.” He turned and started walking in the direction she indicated.  
  
“You’re welcome!” She was shouting to him as he was walking away. “You should look for a good girl instead of taking care of him!” LeFou rolled his eyes exasperated. He was getting tired of all the older people saying the same thing to him.  
  
However, he didn’t have time to complain about it. He needed to find Gaston before something happened to him. He turned to the left and started looking in every street for any sign. Several minutes later he was starting to get really anxious. Would had Gaston come back when he was looking for him? He knew Gaston hated the fact he needed someone besides him when walking outside the house, but it was necessary. Why was he so stubborn?  
  
Turning another corner, he saw a group of three men talking lively. He got near to ask them if they had seen Gaston, but before he could open his mouth one of them spotted him.  
  
“Look! It’s LeFou! What brings you to these streets?” The tallest one greeted him. He recalled seeing their faces in the tavern, but he didn’t remember his names.  
  
“I’m looking for Gaston. Have you seen him?” The trio started laughing like he had told the funniest joke in the existence. He waited confused.  
  
“Of course you are looking for him.” One of them said with a sassy undertone. “I think we had seen him two streets at the right.”  
  
“Yes, LeFou. Hurry and find him. We don’t want something happening to that poor man, right?” They laughed again and LeFou had to bite his tongue. What were they implying? Did they do something?  
  
“Thank you. Goodbye.” He wanted to leave the company of those men as quick as he could. He was sure they were problems, they gave him chills.  
  
When he finally arrived at the destination the men gave him, he couldn’t breathe. It was happening again. He found Gaston lying on the ground again. He came running to him and saw the blood from the cuts on his chin and cheeks.  
  
“Gaston!” He was immensely relieved when Gaston moved at the sound of his voice. He was conscious. “What had happened?!” He kneeled down to help him to sit up. Gaston rubbed his face with one of his hand while the other came to his side. LeFou was praying he didn’t have any broken rib.  
  
“C’mon, let’s go to home.” Gaston nodded weakly. “I know a shortcut.” Helping him getting up he searched with his gaze for the cane, which he found laying at the other side of the street, besides a bag.  
  
“Can you stand up alone? I’m going to pick your things.” Gaston nodded again as LeFou softly got away from being his support and grabbed the bag and the cane. Inside the bag were two apples that seemed in good condition. “Okay.” He came back to help Gaston to walk, he still had the fright on the body. “We’re going.”  
  
The entire trek to the house was spent on a tense silence. LeFou couldn’t believe what had happened. Gaston could have died. Again. He was sure those men were guilty. He saw how Gaston was holding the bag with the apples protectively, like the beating was an attempt of theft instead a personal attack. He didn’t understand why he had left to buy them. But it didn’t mattered.  
  
Soon they were on Gaston’s house again and LeFou sat down Gaston on the couch, examining any cuts or injuries he could have. He started cleaning the bruises on his face.  
  
“Why had you left the house without me?” LeFou finally asked way harsher he had wanted, but he was angry. He was angry at the men but at him too. How could he be so irresponsible?  
  
Gaston took an apple from the bag and show it to him.  
  
“We have apples, you know.” Gaston shook his head and insisted on the apple, offering it to him. “No, Gaston. I don’t want an apple. I have told you that you couldn’t leave the house without me because it was dangerous.” He stopped the cure, his hands were shaking. “I have told you! But you never listen to me because you think I don’t know a thing like everyone else, right?!” Gaston started shaking his head fast with a shocked face.  
  
“Gaston, you are a great man, but you have to accept your limitations! You are strong and handsome, but now you are blind and mute! And you are not ready to be alone yet!” LeFou got up heatedly. “I don’t get it, Gaston! Some days you act like you are starting to appreciate me, but then there are days when you seem to get back to your self-absorbed self and forget I get worried about you!” His voice started to tremble. “I only want you to treat me like a friend and not like some servant like you did before! Because you know what? I have talked to Stanley and Belle and everyone and they said I don’t have to kneel for you! That I don’t deserve to be treated like you did before the curse thing!” He covered his face with his hands, trying to calm himself down. “Look, I deeply care about you, really. More than you probably will. But I can’t continue like before. I had everything bottled since forever and I’m sorry I’m bursting everything right now but I don’t want to lose you because some stupid reasons like apples.”  
  
He finally breathed deeply and when he uncovered his face looked down at Gaston, who had his own face covered by his hands, elbows resting on his knees. He was shaking and he had a ragged breathing. LeFou’s heart stopped.  
  
“Gaston?” He kneeled again to stay at his height. Gently, he took Gaston’s hands on his own, discovering how the tears had soaked his face. “W-What…? No, no, n-no… That’s not…” LeFou started panicking when Gaston rubbed his face with his hands.  
  
Gaston didn’t want this to happen. He didn’t want LeFou to think he didn’t care about him. He didn’t want to disgust him. He wanted to give the apple as a present to him, somehow indicating a thank you for all the progress LeFou had helped him made. But he was so useless now. LeFou was right, he needed to stop and accept he needed someone to help him. He needed to accept he wasn’t welcomed to the village anymore. He needed to accept he was defenseless until he fully became used to his new way of life. Because he would never break the curse. He would never find someone to love and be happy with because everyone hated him. Because he earned that hate on his own. LeFou took his face on his hands but he couldn’t see his face. If this was his punishment, he had to accept it.  
  
“Gaston, please, no... Don’t cry.” He heard LeFou plead, but he couldn’t exactly stop. “It’s alright; I’m not going to leave you alone. The only thing I want it’s for you to care about me.”  
  
‘I do’, he wanted to scream. He cares about him as much as he couldn’t think he could care about someone. He had learned to appreciate him those long days side by side. He repeated on his mind how sorry he was for everything. He was so worthless he had made his friend worry about him when the one getting the attention should be him. He needed to make LeFou understand that he was so important to him… He putted his shaking finger up to ask for silence, to which LeFou seemed to understand as he shut up. Then, Gaston touched his own heart, then where he guessed was LeFou’s heart. Finally, he clasped his hands like he was about to pray. He hoped LeFou would understand everything.  
  
“Gaston, really… It’s okay…” Gaston shook his head. No, it wasn’t okay. He grabbed LeFou’s hands. He wouldn’t stop until LeFou got how much he meant to him. He was the only one who really stood by his side. He deserved the best. He acted on instinct as he kissed his hands.  
  
“G-Gaston?” If that didn’t show LeFou how much he appreciated him, he didn’t know what would do. “I-I… I…” That stutter was so cute for Gaston he kissed his hands again. He felt how his own heart skipped a beat when LeFou’s fingers curled against his hands. He shouldn’t feel like this. He had fought and repressed any feeling for another man for so long, but his throat had gone dry without his permission.  
  
“I-It’s okay, I get it… You are sorry, right?” Gaston nodded but he didn’t let go LeFou’s hands. “I’m… happy you understand it.” He nodded again.  
  
Then, both of them were left on a comfortable silence. Gaston knew he had to destroy that feeling that was blossoming on his heart, but he didn’t want to. He had knew since forever he was interested on men as he was on women, but he knew it was wrong, so he always had ignored it. He still could marry a woman and give his father the grandchildren he always wanted. But his parents were long dead, since the beginning of the war. Maybe if he loved LeFou the curse would break? However, he couldn’t act like he wanted. LeFou obviously liked girls, right? The thing was he had never met that special woman.  
  
“Gaston, I should finish cleaning your bruises.” However, LeFou didn’t do anything to take away his hands at first. Painfully slowly, they started to break the contact. They were in such trance they didn’t realized how much they were longing for the other. In both their minds everything was an illusion created by them.  
  
“How does your leg feel?” LeFou asked quietly while finishing to clean his face. “Did they worsen it?” Gaston shook his head, it hurt but he didn’t think it was something serious. He was more worried about his left side so he brushed his fingers against it. “Okay, let’s hope they didn’t break anything.”  
  
After removing his jacket and shirt, LeFou started to feel his side carefully. A lot of bruises would form, but it seemed he had luck; everything was in its place. During the war he had become familiar to some kinds of wounds and this wasn’t anything to be worried about.  
  
“I think it’s fine. However, if it hurts after some time, we should call the doctor.” Gaston sighed relieved. LeFou smiled a bit. All the tension had finally faded away.  
  
“What do you want to have for dinner?” He asked while sitting beside him, tired.  
  
Gaston picked the apples that had fell on the ground and showed them with a small smile, LeFou sighed exasperated but then he laughed.  
  
“Okay, you apple lover.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your comments, seriously. They make my day! <3  
> I'm glad you are liking this story, so I hope you like this chapter too!

The next day, when the sun finally woke up Gaston, he felt incredibly sore. All the previous incidents were taking its presence on his body. He sat up straight and stretched on his bed, yawning. He was hungry. Gaston wondered if LeFou was already up and making their breakfast, like he always did. Slowly, he got out the bed, testing his leg, which hurt more than the previous day as its muscles were still cold, but he was confident the pain would subside. Taking his cane from besides the bed and the clothes from the wardrobe, he prepared himself for the day.  
  
He rubbed his own shoulder when he arrived to the kitchen, but he didn’t hear anything. Maybe LeFou was still sleeping, he thought smiling. Making breakfast couldn’t be too difficult, he wouldn’t mess things up. The hardest task may was starting the fire in the stove and avoiding the toasts to get burned... Perhaps he shouldn’t handle fire.  
  
Gaston went to the guest room LeFou had settled into. They were lucky Gaston went along with the higher commands and they gave him enough money to furnish his house pretty well, like that extra bed for emergencies. When he stopped by the door, he could hear the deep breathing coming from the inside. It was a pity to wake him up now, he thought, yesterday was a rough day. He deserved rest.  
  
Once he returned to the kitchen he started roaming in search of the matches, a knife and some hard bread. The last two were easy to find, but where had LeFou leave the box of matches? It wasn’t on its drawer. He checked the insides of the stove too with his hands, though he would get his hands dirty with ashes, there wasn’t any firewood either. He frowned exasperated. It seemed the luck wasn’t on his side when the only thing he wanted was to help his friend. He only wanted to make LeFou smile a bit. He was the one always making the food and it wasn’t fair, he shouldn’t do all the tasks. It was his own house to begin with and he was going to be a great host.  
  
But where was he going to get the firewood? He couldn’t go out and chop some wood on a stump with his axe like he used to do. He continued to search the matches while he was mulling over the firewood issue, focused. It was really difficult being blind and he was making a lot of clicking noise unintentionally. He was getting angry. Where was the box? He opened another drawer and touched carefully the unknown utensils. Something sharp here, something cold there, something touching his shoulder… Gaston jumped and turned around quickly, frightened and ready to punch whoever was there and dared to startle him, his heart beating madly.  
  
“Gaston, it’s me! Calm down. You woke me up with all this noise.” He heard the sleepy voice of LeFou in front of him, stopping his punch in mid air. Gaston sighed annoyed as he rubbed his face, feeling his heart recovering from the scare.  
  
“LeFou, I swear…” He mumbled and then stopped. What? He touched his throat immediately with a shocked expression. A few seconds passed before someone broke the silence.  
  
“Have you just… talked?” LeFou asked on a whisper.  
  
“I… think?” How? When? Gaston started to pronounce the vowels. Was he dreaming?  
  
“How…? Can you… see too?”  
  
“No. I…” Maybe was the cause of this yesterday events? Gaston’s mind was spinning and his legs were starting to feel like mud. He was having troubles to breathe. “Why can’t I see?”  
  
“Okay, Gaston. Calm down. Let’s go to the couch.” He felt how LeFou touched his arm to lead the way and he followed with difficulty.  
  
“But why can’t I see? LeFou, why can I talk but not see anything? Am I going to be blind forever?” ‘Is this because I’m so sick that I think I love you?’ went unasked although it was the questions that reverberated with more strength than the others.  
  
“I don’t know, Gaston. I don’t know. It must have a reason.” The couch appeared beneath him when he sat down. LeFou hand remained on his arm, trying to soothe him. “Why…? Who do you…? Do you love someone?”  
  
“I… I don’t know. I’m confused.” He knew more than he wanted. He just simply couldn’t confess something like that as it was nothing. And even so, it didn’t solve the issue he was still blind. “I don’t know how I recovered my voice, LeFou. I don’t know why I can’t see.”  
  
“M-Maybe the curse is malfunctioning and you recovered your voice before the enchantress pretended…” He heard his friend mumbling and Gaston couldn’t help but laugh bitterly at that.  
  
“Are you saying a curse on me is malfunctioning and we don’t know what could happen to me?” He rested his head on one of his hands. “How does a curse malfunction to begin with?”  
  
“I don’t know, Gaston. I’m as confused as you.” They sat in deep thoughts for moments. “Maybe I can ask Prince Adam. Or I can try to find Agatha.”  
  
“Would that help?”  
  
“I don’t know, but we can try.” He heard LeFou getting up. He didn’t want to go, he was scared, but he couldn’t say that. He had some pride left. “We are going now. We’re going to get some answers.” If they were going together it wouldn’t be too bad, right? He nodded as he also got up and both of them left the house.  
  
Neither of them had breakfast, Gaston thought bitterly as they rode their horses. Hopefully, it wouldn’t damage his leg after all this time healing.

 

  
When they finally arrived at the castle after a journey full of silence, the anxiety was eating Gaston alive. This was a bad idea. He had tried to kill Adam. He shouldn’t be helped by him. He wasn’t sure even if it was okay to be able to talk because of a wrong love like the one that had awaken towards LeFou. He always thought of himself as a man of high morals and he always sought the greater good, and that homosexual feelings were against everything on nature. But he didn’t want to suppress that side of him anymore.  
  
“We’re here, Gaston. We have to dismount.” He nodded; he was too accustomed not to speak by now. He heard as someone approached them.  
  
“Welcome! What do you, monsieurs, have to do in the castle?” A female voice said.  
  
“We have come to talk with the Prince if it’s not an issue.” LeFou answered politely.  
  
“It’s about my curse.” However, he couldn’t help but say that bluntly and carelessly. He wanted to have this visit ending as soon as possible. He didn’t felt comfortable.  
  
“I see… Follow me; I’m going to ask Monsieur if he can attend you. I’ll accompany you to a sitting room.” She called someone to take their horses to the stable and then started walking. “Is it an urgent matter?”  
  
“Yes.” God, couldn’t she hurry up?  
  
“We would like to resolve this problem soon, mademoiselle, if it’s possible.” LeFou answered anyway, he turned to try look at him with a frown, but LeFou said anything. Gaston groaned.  
  
“Of course.” She hummed contently. The clicking of her heels stopped after walking a while in silence. “You can wait by the fireplace as I look for Monsieur Adam.”  
  
“Thank you very much.” LeFou sat down on one armchair while Gaston searched for one for himself with his cane. The woman left the place when he finally could sit on a comfy chair.  
  
“I don’t think Prince Adam will know anything, LeFou.” He finally said skeptically. “Even if he knows something, he won’t tell me.”  
  
“I’m sure he will. He has proven he is a kind man several times. Trust me.” The optimism of LeFou’s words was trying to sink in him, but he preferred to stay doubtful.  
  
He simply sighed and faced the heat that was coming from the fire of the chimney. It’s not like he has a lot of options, right? He hated having to explain himself, and he knew that was what he was going to need to do when Adam asked him. Bring him an entire army of angry soldiers and he would successfully battle them with a smile, make him think too much about unpleasant things and he would go flat. How he missed the war sometimes.  
  
“LeFou, Gaston, welcome. Arlette had told me you were here.” The sweet voice of Belle greeted them happily. Gaston groaned grumpily but before he could say anything LeFou was talking.  
  
“Yes, Belle. We need some help and we guessed that you could offer it.”  
  
“Of course. Arlette told me and Adam about it. You are lucky he had just finished with all the work he had programmed this morning.” A soft giggle escaped her lips. “But he wanted to talk with only you, Gaston. He’s a bit reserved when it comes to the curses, so if you want you can follow Corentin to the library where he is.” Well, he didn’t want to, but he had to do it anyways.  
  
“Okay.” He said while getting up. The serious expression on his face transmitted nothing at all.  
  
“I’ll see you soon, Gaston.” LeFou said worried. He didn’t want to leave Gaston right now even though he trusted his friends. He looked at the shocked face Belle made when she heard Gaston’s voice. He could laugh at her, but now it wasn’t the opportune time.  
  
“This way, monsieur.” The servant, Corentin, said and both of them disappeared on a large corridor, leaving him and Belle on the sitting room.  
  
Belle sat down in another armchair in front of him with curiosity glistening on her eyes. He got suddenly nervous, as if the woman knew too much about them, and her rascal smile didn’t help.  
  
“Well, tell me, LeFou. What had happened?” He waited a second, trying to make a good excuse to avoid any interrogation.  
  
“Nothing outside the usual, why are you asking?”  
  
“You two have come here, Gaston has all those bruises on his face and can talk. How can this be the usual, LeFou?” Well, he wasn’t famous for his quick thinking. He looked down nervously. “You know I won’t judge you, right?” He nodded while he was thinking how to start the story. He decided that explaining everything since they have left the castle was the better option. Perhaps she could help him with all the knowledge she had gathered in all those books she read.  
  
“Well, you see...” Then he told her everything. How angry Gaston was at first, how he broke that mirror and how he slowly became depressed as the people in the town said bad things about both of them, how he got drunk that night and how horrible was to have a blind Gaston with a hangover. However, he avoided the talk Stanley and he had because it was absurd and a bit dangerous.  
  
Then he told her how Gaston started to accept everything and he seemed to become happier as he started to do things by himself. How he found him after some men had beaten him. How they made peace for all the past things. And finally, how this morning he had talked but he couldn’t see anything. “I don’t know… He can’t have fallen in love with anyone; he was only with me and occasionally with Stanley, Tom or Dick.”  
  
“And you say you forgave him after he kissed your hands?” Belle was incredulous. The Gaston she knew wouldn’t do that even if his life depended on it. “Two times?”  
  
“Y-yes, but… That’s not important! The thing is…” LeFou could feel his cheeks burning and a tinkling sensation appeared on his chest. “The thing is he recovered his voice somehow!”  
  
“I think I know what had happened, LeFou.” Her tone went from shocked to amenable. She already have thought about it and even she have talked about it with Adam. “Do you know who Plato is?” What was saying Belle? How would that help them?  
  
“It is a planet, right?” At that, Belle started laughing. What was that funny? He felt so confused and embarrassed for his little culture.  
  
“Oh, no, LeFou! The planet is called Pluto.” A soft smile still decorated his beautiful face. “Plato was a philosopher. He was from the Ancient Greece, from lots of centuries ago. He lived even before Christ came to this world.”  
  
“And why do you ask me who he is? I don’t think he can help us even he was clever.”  
  
“Because he wrote about his society and his ideas.” LeFou felt Belle was teaching him like he was a little kid. “You see, back then, he wrote that Greeks were okay when a man loved another man. Some even thought that love was even truer than the love between a man and a woman.”  
  
“What…?” LeFou tensed on his armchair. “Why are you telling me this? Why should I care?”  
  
“LeFou, it is okay to love a man.” Belle smiled gently at him with knowing, sad eyes. How could she…? Her too? How obvious was he that not only Stanley but also Belle knew about his feelings?  
  
“But I don’t love Gaston.” He needed steel his face if he wanted his lie to be believed.  
  
“Who said I was talking about you loving Gaston?” Her smile grew as she giggled. “I was thinking about Gaston loving you. But if you love him too everything would be better.”  
  
“I- I don’t…! Have you talked with Stanley?” He fumbled his hands around, not knowing what to do. Gaston loving him? That truly was nonsense. “It’s impossible for him to love me, Belle.”  
  
“I didn’t have talked with Stanley about this.” Had LeFou talked about this with Stanley? Belle thought about that slip as a confirmation of her suspicions. “LeFou, think about it. He recovered his voice after apologizing and kissing your hands.”  
  
“But he didn’t gain back his eyesight.”  
  
“Maybe he needs to act just as his feeling tell him to.” She said after a moment of thinking. “Adam couldn’t return to his human form until I confessed to him although I already loved him before.”  
  
“Then we will die before he breaks his curse because in the highly unlikely chance he loves me, which won’t happen because he’s not sick- and neither I am-, then he won’t do it because it’s forbidden. It’s awful and it’s a sin.” His stomach twisted in disgust to have to say that things aloud. He was the worst human being on the entire France. “I have to introduce him to every woman I can think of and then the curse maybe can be broken.”  
  
“LeFou, that way you won’t solve anything.” Belle reached with her delicate hands the rough ones of him. “You don’t have to pretend with me. Since I’m here in the castle I can read a lot of things and you would be surprised. There is nothing wrong with being like you are. Even in the Bible it isn’t written that a man can’t love another man or that a woman can’t love another woman. It was the Church who said that, really.”  
  
“… Really?” His heart was beating fast against his ribcage. He wasn’t the most Christian man, but knowing that was a relief.  
  
“Of course! In the Bible Jesus says that we have to love everyone like we all were brothers and sisters. And that includes you and Gaston.” She rubbed his hands with care. She understood it was a sensitive subject. “I know you love him and I firmly believe he loves you back and that is why he got back his voice.”  
  
“I… Thank you, Belle.” The warmth on his cheeks, the quick rate of his heartbeat, the sudden easy feel that was flooding to him, it all was making him happily embarrassed. “I’m sorry I’m still afraid to talk to him about all… this. But I-” He was interrupted when Gaston and the selfsame Prince Adam came to the room.  
  
“We are finished, Belle, LeFou. We have tried some things but we didn’t make any real progress, I’m sorry.” Gaston was frowning by his side and it cooled LeFou’s spirit. He hoped Prince Adam had some answers.  
  
“Well, I think LeFou and I have thought of some possibilities, but we are not sure.” LeFou could see how Belle winked to his fiancé, taking advantage of Gaston’s inability to see.  
  
“Which ones?” Gaston asked quickly, as he was truly desperate to stop being blind.  
  
“Ones concerning your possible love interest.” It was evident Belle was having fun playing matchmaker. “We think you should confess to that person and see if you break the curse or not.” LeFou fast got up raising his arms incredulous. How was she saying that like it was nothing? He started pointing at Gaston and making wild gestures. Belle and Adam couldn’t help but burst into laughs at that scene.  
  
“What is so funny?” Gaston lifted an eyebrow feeling a bit annoyed. “I have no love interest.”  
  
“I-It’s nothing!” LeFou said before trying to calm himself down. What if Belle was right and Gaston loved him? It sounded a bit…  
  
“I think the best thing for you to do is go home and reflect on why you aren’t mute anymore.” Prince Adam said with a small smile. Belle got up and went beside him.  
  
“We have nothing else to do here, LeFou. Maybe we can look for the enchantress in the village.” Gaston said with an obviously bothered tone as he waited for someone to show them the exit.  
  
“Yes, we should come back. Thank you again for your help, monsieur and mademoiselle.” LeFou kindly agreed. He really needed to think about all of what Belle had said. “I hope you have a great day.”  
  
After that, Arlette met them again and accompanied them to the exit, where their horses were already prepared. Bidding farewell, them both left the castle.  
  
“LeFou, this visit was useless.” Gaston said when a few minutes passed. “The only thing Prince Adam did was asking me foolish things and he didn’t even tell me why that was important.”  
  
“Oh, I see…” LeFou mumbled under his breath, a bit distracted on his own mind. “What things did he ask?”  
  
“About love and things like that! He also asked about you and how I felt when I woke up this morning. Really, if he thought asking that would make me comprehend something I already didn’t, it didn’t work.” Gaston huffed with a little of indignation. “I’m intelligent enough to realize things on my own. Who had he think I am…?” He mumbled to him the last part. However, LeFou could hear him on the silence of the forest.  
  
“And what had you realized?”  
  
“That the enchantress doesn’t know how to curse people! And that Prince Adam is a presumptuous noble!” LeFou hold back some laugh at how childish that outrage was. “And did Belle help? Was that thing about confessing serious?”  
  
“Well, yes. But she mostly told me about Greeks and the Bible.” LeFou shrugged. “And that it’s okay to love whoever you love. Common things, I guess.”  
  
“Nonsense. That is what that is, nonsense.”  
  
“And she said she thinks you only recovered your voice because you love someone but you have to act like it to recover your sight.” He didn’t let Gaston words to sadden him. “I don’t know. It makes sense in a way.”  
  
“But the thing is that I don’t love any woman.” LeFou bit his lip hesitantly before answering a risky suggestion.  
  
“Belle said it didn’t have to be a woman. That it was okay to love a man.”  
  
“What are you implying, LeFou?” Gaston asked with a dangerously sharp tone.  
  
“I’m not implying anything.” He said with a slightly shaky voice. Suddenly he seemed very interested on the harness of his horse. “I’m only telling you what Belle has said. Nothing more.”  
  
“Good, LeFou.” Gaston sighed after saying that. “I don’t care who someone sleeps with, but my father would kill me if he was still alive.”  
  
“Yes, I know the feeling.” Of course Gaston was not a sodomite like him.  
  
They remained in silence long minutes, Gaston was trying to enjoy the sun on his skin but he couldn’t stop thinking about what LeFou said. That he needed to do something about his love, and that it was okay to love a man. Was LeFou saying he wouldn’t judge him? But he wasn’t sure.  
  
“LeFou. Now that you mention it, are you alright with it?” Asking is the shortest way to know about his opinion and Gaston liked easy and quick answers. “With inverts and all of that?”  
  
“M-me? Why are you asking?”  
  
“Just curiosity.”  
  
“Well, I… I’m fine with it. They say love is blind, or not?” Gaston hummed agreeing. But he wasn’t satisfied yet.  
  
“And would you be one?”  
  
“What?! I… I don’t know! Why are you asking all this things?!” But he hadn’t said no. Gaston wanted to see it as a good signal.  
  
“I’m just curious, I told you.”  
  
“Well, and you?” LeFou asked as revenge, he could feel the intentions from his tone of voice. “Would you?”  
  
“I’m too perfect and handsome to deny my generous love to half of the world, don’t you think?” He said jokingly with a big smirk on his face. He heard LeFou giggles from his left side.  
  
“Yes, you are right.”  
  
They both fell on another comfortable silence as they horses neared a little more the village. Everything felt better than before, as if they were allowed this time to be more optimistic. LeFou had said he didn’t know about the whole homosexual thing, so he considered two options. Or he was too flustered to answer sincerely or he really didn’t know, because a third option with him completely rejecting the idea was improbable, as he would have firmly said no. And he wanted to think LeFou loved him back because, who wouldn’t love him? Even with all his flaws, which he liked to think were less than his pros, LeFou had forgiven him. LeFou didn’t abandon him. He already loved him, so he was going to fight with soft words and innocent caresses for him to love him back. However, he didn’t seem to build the courage right now to say something. He excused himself on wanting to test the situation before acting.  
  
Before he could realize it, their horses had stopped.  
  
“We’re back. Do you want to go to the village right now?”  
  
“Yes, only to take a quick look.” He dismounted carefully. “She shouldn’t be too far, right?”  
  
“I don’t know, Gaston. I think I haven’t seen her since that day in the castle.” Gaston frowned a bit. Had she abandoned them without supervision? What if something went terribly wrong? She was a witch, maybe she could change her appearance to one they hadn’t seen.  
  
“Only a quick walk.” LeFou sighed. “Please.”  
  
“Alright, come with me.”  
  
And like that, they started the research. They asked some neighbors, they looked in every street they could think, but she was nowhere. Gradually, the sun was at its peak on the sky, sending suffocating waves of heat. They were in late spring by that date and, though the nights were still cold, it was better not to walk during those hours, even more if they hadn’t eaten anything since the last day. So they came back home tremendously tired. All the optimism seemed to have evaporated when they fell side by side on the couch, LeFou wondering under his breath if he had seen her somewhere before without realizing it.  
  
Gaston head was heaving to him too much, sleep sweeping into him. Maybe now he could show some affection to LeFou. He wouldn’t stop himself because some prejudices. Softly and slowly, he slid his arm on the arm of the other and leaned against his side, hugging his arm.  
  
“I’m tired. I want to sleep.” He groaned as he supported his head against LeFou’s shoulder. “Let’s take a little nap, okay?”  
  
“H-Here?” The high pitched and nervous voice of LeFou made him smile against the fabric of his shirt. “Like this?”  
  
“Yes, LeFou. Like this.” He pressed himself more to him, a side of him knowing it was something with some women tried flirt with him, another side of him craving for the warm feeling it caused on him.  
  
“B-But…”  
  
“Silence, LeFou. I want to sleep, or don’t you want to relax with your old friend?” He felt LeFou shifting to get more comfortable and then he knew LeFou had rested his own head on top of his. So cute. He wanted to kiss his cheek; he only needed to turn his head a little. But he refrained; not now, he didn’t want to scare him off.  
  
“Okay. Rest well.”  
  
“I will. You too.”  
  
Then he used the position of their hands on his benefit and intertwined their fingers together, giving him a little squeeze. He could get used to this affection. Actually, he loved being like this with LeFou. It made him want to get back his eyesight only to see LeFou’s eyes again.  
  
“Hey, Gaston.” LeFou muttered and he hummed, listening. “I’m glad to hear your voice again.”  
  
Gaston could only smile as his heart skipped a beat.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> college has been fucking me, and then I didn't know how to start to write, and then I got blocked, and now I don't know if I made a good work but I don't want to delay the chapter anymore and I don't know what I could do to improve it, so I'm really sorry if it's a worse chapter that the others. I hope it's good enough for you, guys. I can always edit it.  
> So, I think it's going to be one more chapter after this as an epilogue, so I really hope you like this!

“LeFou, where have you been?” He found Gaston at the kitchen table with a paper with some scribbling on.  
  
“I went to hunt.” LeFou said absentmindedly while leaving two rabbits on the sink. “But I didn’t have luck, you are better at this.”  
  
“And why did you leave me here?” Gaston arched a brow and crossed his arms. “You knew I wanted to go on a hunt!”  
  
“Gaston, you are still blind.” LeFou sighed, he wasn’t good enough to hunt for money and their savings were running low by now. “You only regained your voice a week or so ago.”  
  
“But I would have helped you carrying the prey.” LeFou laughed at that.  
  
“Really? I don’t think I need help to carry two bunnies.” Gaston clicked his tongue, but smiled.  
  
“Then I should get back my sight or you will starve us.” He rolled his eyes and picked his knife to prepare one of the preys. He would go later to the market to sell the other bunny.  
  
They had been like that for a week. In the mornings, he would try to catch something on the woods or find some berries while Gaston waited on the house. He remembered the second day he was left alone. When he came back the house was a mess. Gaston had tried, among other things, to sweep the floors but he had only moved the dust to other places, and he also had tried to wash the dishes and he soaked the entire kitchen. He didn’t know how he could wet the opposite wall of the kitchen, but he did. They had to work together to fix that, but the following days Gaston seemed to do everything with more care, so it didn’t happen again. It made him smile. Gaston said it was because he didn’t want to let LeFou do all the work.  
  
“Have you only caught two bunnies?”  
  
“Well, excuse me, Gaston. I saw a deer but it saw me too before I could shoot at it.” Actually, he got too nervous and tripped because of a root, but that was too embarrassing. He hanged the rabbit to let it bleed. “We have to sell this one to buy some vegetables.”  
  
“Or we could use that money to celebrate tonight that I recovered my voice.” Gaston said raising one eyebrow and smirking. LeFou frowned. “I want to go somewhere else than the marketplace or the church. And I promise I won’t drink as much as last time.”  
  
“Only if they give us enough money.” Honestly, LeFou missed the tavern a bit too. “But you know people are talking again about you.” The face of Gaston lost his smile and frowned.  
  
“Yes, I know. Some even asked me if I fell in love with someone.” Gaston got up from the chair and supported himself on the table. He finally had his leg completely healed and he could walk and even run without any problems. “And they are also talking about you. Do you know what they say?”  
  
“I supposed that, but I haven’t heard anything.” LeFou feared the worst from their fellow citizens.  
  
“Some say you are my pet, others that you stick with me because of my contacts.” Gaston shook his head with an amused grin. “They really don’t know what to invent anymore.”  
  
“I see…” Well, it wasn’t as bad as he thought. He had other things to worry about. He picked the rabbit and a bag. “Do you want to go to the market with me?”  
  
“Of course. I’ll make sure you get the right amount of money so we can go out this night.”  
  
And no sooner said than done, they sold the animal for a reasonable price enough for a few vegetables and the drinks of that night. Gaston felt his confidence was boosting for some unknown reason; he felt like he could do anything and he hoped some of that positive energy got passed to LeFou, who seemed a bit tired. That night they would drink and laugh and LeFou would feel better.

 

  
The night finally came and they were in the tavern with a mug of beer on one of their hands. Shortly after they came inside, the whispers of the people were heard, but Gaston didn’t let that sour his mood and told LeFou how he was craving for some physical exercise out in the forest when they were interrupted.  
  
“Welcome back to the tavern, friends!” He heard the voice of Tom said and laughed.  
  
“It’s good to hear you again!” Gaston said lifting his mug on a greeting.  
  
“How are you managing Gaston, LeFou?” The calm voice of Stanley said.  
  
“He wastes the money on things like this, but he’s still a good kid.” LeFou joked and everyone started laughing.  
  
After that, they went into a nice conversation about the latest events on the village. He controlled himself because he didn’t want to drink too much this time. He lazily put   
his arm on the shoulders of LeFou when he was talking about him, but it was only an excuse to get near him and when he didn’t do anything to free himself, he smiled to himself. That last week he had been doing careful approaches and LeFou didn’t seem to dislike that. Maybe the rumors about him being invert were true, and it was his only hope to break the curse finally. Because denying to himself that he was in love with him was stupid to do.  
  
He remembered that time he had hit LeFou in the leg with his cane accidentally and he left Gaston to cuddle him on the couch until he got asleep. Or the time he kissed him on the cheek joking because he heard someone saying he was like the wife of LeFou because he did all the chores, and LeFou got so flustered he got tongue-tied.  
  
He felt himself smiling like the fool LeFou made him feel. If that was how true love was like, he was sure he had never felt it before.  
  
“Hey, Gaston, are you listening?” He heard the voice of Dick calling him, awakening him form his memories of the cute little things LeFou did.  
  
“Of course! What were you saying?” Dick groaned annoyed but the other men laughed.  
  
“I was asking you what you plan to do if you continue to stay blind.” He explained. “LeFou has said you are a little low of money and we could lend you some, but…”  
  
“I don’t know.” What did most of the blind people he had met? Beg for coins? There had to be any other job. “I could ask for some job of strength.”  
  
“Dick, don’t be a killjoy!” Stanley scolded. “I’m sure he and LeFou will find a way to break the curse.”  
  
“However, I can always get another job to get more money besides hunting.” LeFou shrugged.  
  
“Hey! And did you hear Melanie has got a boyfriend?” Tom said abruptly like he didn’t pay any attention.  
  
The conversation continued its way before that, but Gaston kept thinking. He didn’t want to beg. He would rather commit suicide to die because of he didn’t had anything to eat. And of course he would stop depending on LeFou, he wouldn’t drag him into poverty. But he would get his sight back, yes. He would make LeFou love him and they would be happy together.  
  
Hours passed and it got too late to Gaston. He was getting tired as he stopped drinking long time ago. And hearing how LeFou was yawning, he thought it was a good moment to go home. He leaned to ask him on a low voice because he didn’t want to disturb the conversation between Tom and Dick and the sleeping Stanley on the table.  
  
“Hey, LeFou, do you want to go back? I’m tired of being here.” He felt how LeFou nodded and sighed.  
  
“Yes, it’s better to go to your house already.”  
  
“My house? Do you mean our home?” He said with a smirk that seemed to refill his batteries.  
  
“Oh my god, just let’s go.” He laughed as they got up. “Tom, Dick, we’re going. See you tomorrow.”  
  
The other two nodded and waved goodbye. When they came out of the tavern they were welcomed by a heavy rain that the noise from the inside made impossible to hear.  
  
“We are lucky, aren’t we?” LeFou said ironically as they stopped by the door, covered by the roof of the tavern.  
  
“A little of water won’t harm us, LeFou.” The beer Gaston had drunk was enough to make him eager but still fully conscious of his actions, so he grinned and grabbed LeFou’s hand before he started running under the rain. “You have to guide me unless you want both of us crashing into a wall!”  
  
“Gaston! What?!” LeFou started running behind him, trying to cover himself with his free arm. “Stop it!”  
  
“Never!” Gaston was laughing whole heartily. LeFou started giggling as well.  
  
“To the left!” He shouted between laughs. It was like they were kids again, and the strong hold of Gaston’s hand on his own made him felt like everything was right.  
  
Turn after turn, they arrived to the house completely soaked and panting after the run. LeFou let go Gaston’s hand in order to open the door and got inside. As they were cooling down after the exercise, they realized how cold their clothes were. Quickly changing into more comfortable clothes and wrapping themselves in blankets in front of the fire LeFou had started on the chimney, they started relaxing and after a few seconds of sweet silence, Gaston dared to talk tiredly before LeFou could fell asleep.  
  
“LeFou, do you remember the last time we had to run under the rain together?” LeFou looked at the solemn face Gaston was making facing the fire. What a strange question.  
  
“Yes, it was at the end of the war. That battle was a disaster and very confusing.”  
  
“Do you have nightmares about the war?” Why was he asking these questions after such a joyful night?  
  
“Yes, sometimes. But I have less as the time passed. Why?” Gaston sighed.  
  
“I have, too. Last night I dreamed that we were at the back of the squad. Then the soldiers suddenly turned to us and started shouting some nonsense at us, and they chased us. We were clothed like the enemy and we tried to tell them we weren’t their enemies but they didn’t listen. I woke up when they caught me and I shouted at you to run away.” LeFou watched as Gaston sighed again and closed his eyes. He touched his shoulder. “But I can’t stop missing the war, LeFou. I miss how most of the soldiers were so united. They were all good friends. I miss how everyone seemed to like me because I kept them alive. I miss the camaraderie and how everyone worked together regardless who was the other. Of course I hated when someone I knew died and of course I didn’t like the fact I could die in any moment, but…” Gaston slowly took LeFou’s hand from his shoulder. “I think it makes me a bad person.”  
  
LeFou didn’t know what to say at that. Why had Gaston confessed it now? How could he comfort him? He simply decided to hug him. The melancholic look Gaston had was breaking his heart.  
  
“I don’t know, Gaston. I don’t understand how you feel that.” He said quietly. “When I look back then, I can only remember the pain and the panic. Sometimes, when I hear someone screaming, I remember the war and I froze.” He was going to stop the hug when Gaston fast embraced him, sliding him to his own blanket. He was warm and LeFou couldn’t help but nestle against him. “I think you remember the good things above the bad ones. I don’t think you are a bad person. At least, not now. You have changed.”  
  
“Thanks to you, LeFou.” LeFou looked up to his eyes, which were unfocused but facing him. “I only could become better because you supported and helped me.”  
  
LeFou hid his face against Gaston shoulder even though he knew Gaston couldn’t see his blush spreading. He pushed himself closer in the hug, craving for more affection from the one he thought he would never receive any. Lately, Gaston had been acting so lovely LeFou came to the conclusion he had died and arrived to heaven; but there’s no place on heaven for someone like him, so it couldn’t be. This Gaston was real. And he made him melt inside.  
  
“I didn’t do too much.” He felt how Gaston started playing with the locks of wet hair from his back of the head. “You are great, Gaston. The best.” A soft vibration from his chest as Gaston giggled made him look up.  
  
“You don’t have to compliment me to please me now.”  
  
“Yes, I know. I say it because you truly are the best.” ‘Because I love you’ he had to refrain himself. “I’m happy to be friends with the greatest man alive.”  
  
“And wouldn’t you want to be more than friends?” His heart stopped for a second, only to quicken his beats straightaway. He couldn’t mean what he wanted it to be.  
  
“W-what do you mean?” He closed his hands against Gaston’s back. The hands of the other went up from his waist and hair to caress his cheeks softly.  
  
“You know exactly what I mean, LeFou…” He was hypnotized by the smile on the face of Gaston, who was slowly approaching him. He had wished for so long for a moment like this…  
  
He didn’t hesitate a second before coming to meet the kiss both of them knew that was going to happen. When their lips touched, he felt like he was going to explode from the happiness and the love on his heart. The soft brush of the thumbs on his cheeks, the little bite Gaston made to ask for him to open his mouth, the warmth inside him and the feeling of his back against his hands… It was like a dream, but instead it was happening. After years and years of loving him, he was finally allowed to act like he always wanted.  
  
When the need of air was too strong, they got apart. First, LeFou opened his eyes and watched as Gaston opened his. His eyes seemed to focus for the first time in more than a month.  
  
“I can see.” Gaston said quietly. “I can see you, LeFou.”  
  
“You broke the curse!” LeFou exclaimed as he quickly gave him one peck. The shocked face of Gaston turned into a gleeful one.  
  
“LeFou, I love you.” Gaston leaped on LeFou to hug him, hiding his face on the crook of his neck, giving little kisses to it that made LeFou giggle because of the tickling sensation. “I love you so much. Thank you, LeFou. You are the best person I could ever meet. I love you.”  
  
“I love you too, Gaston. I’ve been in love with you since forever and I… always thought…” He was in the verge of tears, but of happiness. “that you’d hate me… Because of that…”  
  
“I’d never hate you, LeFou. You are too adorable and good for your own good.” He got away from his neck to touch his face again and to look at his eyes. “Finally I can see you again, love.”  
  
He felt his cheeks getting hot; he couldn’t believe how happy hearing that words made him feel.  
  
“You are the most handsome and cute man.” Gaston leaned to kiss him again, to which he didn’t complain.  
  
“I love you, Gaston.” He could finally say it. And he could finally melt against Gaston, who made sure that night he received the kisses he needed to believe that was really happening.


	8. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really sorry. I've been delaying this the entire summer. First, I had exams, then I had to move from my college's town to mine, then I simply didn't do it. I feel so bad. But finally here it is the epilogue I promised you all.

Soon, Gaston and LeFou realized they had to move out Villeneuve as people started to avoid them actively. If there were some rumors when Gaston gained his voice, now they had became worse.  
  
They truly had tried to keep their romance as a secret. They always denied that kind of accusations when they were made although it was so tiring. However, it didn’t work at all. It seemed obvious to everyone that they were in a relationship. How, if not, could have Gaston recovered his sight and break the curse when he only hang out with LeFou? Voices were raised against them even they didn’t have conclusive proofs. They could see how mothers hid their children behind their skirts when they went to the market together.  
  
“LeFou, we have to leave this village.” It was a peaceful evening when Gaston finally said the words that were wandering in both of their minds.  
  
LeFou shrugged in the arms of Gaston, comfortable in the couch in front of their chimney.  
  
“Yes, I think it would be better to do that.”  
  
Then, the room was filled with the silence of who are too exhausted to fight any more for their place in the village that had seen them grow. Melancholy fell over them and made their sighs sound. The soft dim light of the dusk entered through the window.  
  
“Should we tell anyone this?” LeFou asked. He was sure he would miss seeing his old friends.  
  
“I don’t think so.” Gaston caressed softly the arms of his lover. “They hate us, they would be happy if we tell them and I no longer want to make them happy.”  
  
LeFou hummed.  
  
“And Tom, Stanley and Dick?”  
  
“Well, maybe we can say goodbye to them.” Gaston conceded.  
  
“Belle and Adam?” He received a grunt for a response. “They helped us.”  
  
“I guess.”  
  
“And-”  
  
“Oh my god, do you want to throw a farewell party, LeFou?”  
  
“I’m sorry.” LeFou shut up.  
  
“No, no… I’m the one that has to be sorry.” Gaston sighed again and kissed his head. “I just… hate this situation. They hate me for what I did to Adam even I’m repentant, and they hate us for being in love, which I won’t regret.”  
  
“But our friends don’t hate us.”  
  
“I… I know. You’re always right. Sorry.” LeFou turned to give him a soft and loving peck. “I’m just tired.”  
  
“Me too.”  
  
Silence fell again, but this time as a blanket of comfort. The sunlight finally disappeared. Both were so frustrated due to the fact they had to leave because people thought they were sick. Because everyone liked to mind other’s business. It was so unfair. But they had each other and that was more than what they could have asked for.  
  
“Tomorrow we’ll pick our horses and go to another bigger town.”  
  
“And we’ll see our friends one last time.”  
  
“I know they are going to miss seeing my handsome face.” LeFou chuckled.  
  
“I’m sure.” A soft smirk grew on Gaston’s face.

 

When they told Tom, Dick and Stanley, none seemed surprised. Dick and Tom were worried about it and tried to reason with them to stay as the rumors would fade away eventually. Stanley could only look at them with a sad, knowing smile. He had felt the same fear. Today was rumors, but tomorrow they could be on an asylum.  
  
“You don’t have to worry. I, the great Gaston, am here.” He tried to soothe his friends, even if he neither believed his words in that moment. “If a war couldn’t hurt me, a new home won’t do it.”  
  
“You need to send us a letter when you settle down.” Dick said.  
  
“We will visit you sometimes.” Tom reassured. Their throats were oppressed with heavy sadness.  
  
“I hope you two will be happy.” Stanley wished.  
  
“Thank you for everything.” LeFou was trembling like a leaf that was going to fall. It was harder than what he had expected.  
  
The farewell went easier with Adam and Belle as they weren’t as connected to them as how they were with the other three. They insisted to give Gaston and LeFou money and food for the journey, but Gaston flatly rejected the idea saying they had enough of everything. However, LeFou knew the real reason behind that was about him losing his proud or something like that. ‘Old customs never die’ thought LeFou with a nostalgic smile.  
  
“Gaston, you didn’t lose that drawing on your wrist.” Adam pointed when he saw his left wrist.  
  
“I didn’t, I don’t know why.” He looked down at the intricate rose. “I think it’s a reminder left by the Enchantress.”  
  
He had talked with LeFou about it. Gaston thought it was part of the punishment, as it reminded him of all the pain and all the struggles the curse had caused on him. He sometimes tried to hide it wearing gloves, until LeFou changed his meaning to him. He said he thought about it as a reflection of his change to be a better person, and that it symbolized the good moments they shared even when they had to face difficult times. Then he said chuckling that it was beautiful too and that it complimented his red jacket. So Gaston stopped wearing gloves. He realized it was a part of him now, and hiding it won’t change what happened. It made him grow and love the best and most important person in the world.

 

In no time after leaving Prince Adam’s castle, they were on the road to the neighbor village, where they would rest for a bit before leaving it behind. A warm chatter was spoken as the horses trotted.  
  
The air was fresh and a feeling of hopefulness tried to replace the emptiness in their hearts. It was the end of their old lives, but a beginning of something that seemed brighter. It was a new life they could share together, without any shame of the past, as they wouldn’t have one on their new home. Finally, they would be allowed to start something beautiful together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the end, I hope you enjoyed the whole fic though I feel this chapter is quite weak, I don't know. I think the dialogue is the best way to give the melancholic feel I intended to go for.  
> Thank you very much for reading, your comments brighten my days, really.


End file.
